Love is
by diehardRRfan
Summary: This is an alternate beginning for Ross and Rachel, set in season four. I think it's probably going be be mainly fluffy stuff for now....the others will be in it too, in the next few chapters. Please REVIEW! Happy Reading!
1. They Meet Again

_**Love is...**_

_-Author's Note: I'm still working on 'Flip Flop' don't worry, but I just got an idea for this, and I decided to write it. I don't really know where I'm gonna go with it...so you'll find out as I do. I do know, however, that this fic is set in season 4 after Rachel got demoted, although, some things are different that you will discover along the way. This is an alternate beginning for Ross and Rachel; so essentially, it is an alternate relationship all together. Please leave me a review and tell me what you think, I'm also open to suggestions...ENJOY!  
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Love. An incredibly powerful word. But what does it mean? Textbooks and dictionaries define love as a deep, tender, ineffable feeling of affection and solicitude toward a person; but to those who have felt it, it means something more. Something so powerful and extraordinary that there are barely words to describe it, but I'm going to try.

Love is when you meet someone and one look into their eyes, or the touch of their skin against yours, tells you that you are going to be with that person every single day until the day you die. Love is when you can sit for hours looking at each other and not utter a single word because you know that the silence in the room is saying everything. Love is when there are moments in your life that you are so happy that you could stand on the rooftop of the tallest building, or stand on the peak of the highest mountain and scream until your lungs can no longer breathe, and it still wouldn't capture what you were feeling inside.

Love is being in a crowded place when you catch that person's eye and suddenly you are the only people left on Earth. The only people that matter in that moment. Love is spontaneity – not knowing or caring what happens next, just as long as you are with that special person. When you are with that person, all is right in the world. There are no wars, no crimes...all that is important is what's going on in the moment, your moment.

But as true or untrue these definitions may be, there is more. One definition that is probably more accurate than all others. That one definition, that universal truth, that love...was Ross Geller and Rachel Green.

No two people were more perfect for each other than Ross was to Rachel, and Rachel was to Ross. They were the couple that everyone strived to be. You could also say, I guess, that not only were they the definition of love, they were the definition of perfection. They were incomplete without each other. If Ross was to try to function without Rachel, it would be like a body trying to work with no heart, it just wasn't possible. And the same goes for Rachel. They just could not bear the thought of survival without the other at their side. It would be like a puzzle with a missing piece, a movie with no end, it was...the impossibility of a life without love...  
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Rachel was working at Bloomingdale's. She had just been demoted to personal shopper after her department had been eliminated. She was disappointed and frustrated, sure. But she still made a decent living, and she had nothing to complain about. She lived with Monica Geller, her best friend from high school.

Monica's brother, Ross, had moved out to California after he graduated from high school to pursue a career in paleontology. Over the period of ten years since he left, everyone kind of lost touch with Ross, to the point where no one had seen or heard from him in over five years.

Rachel had almost married an orthodontist by the name of Dr. Barry Farber, but realized last minute that she hadn't _really_ loved him. Not, at least, in the sense that was described earlier. She was never "in" love with Barry. She was more in love with the idea of Barry, you know, the Ph. D, the money...basically being able to live the life she had before. So, she left him at the altar and went into the city where she found her old best friend, Monica.

Monica was very kind to Rachel, opening her heart and home to her long lost friend. Monica also provided Rachel with a whole new group of friends. A very interesting group of people, indeed. There was Chandler, a very sarcastic person who seemed to have a joke for everything, funny or not; Joey, an oversexed struggling actor with the mindset and mental capacity of a child no older than ten; and Phoebe, a kooky hippie girl that cleansed aura's, lived on the streets at the age of fourteen, and used words like 'floopy'. All of them took an immediate liking to Rachel, and before long, she was one of them.

It had now been four years since she made the difficult transition, with help from the gang, from spoiled daddy's girl to a hard working woman. They helped her every step of the way and she was forever indebted to them for it.  
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Ross, after moving to California, got a Ph. D in Paleontology from UCLA, had gotten married, divorced, and fathered a child. A little boy, now about four years old, whom Ross and his lesbian ex-wife's partner decided to name Ben. Ross was happy with the way his life had turned out, despite the handful of unexpected twists and turns along the way. Although he knew how much he had hurt his family when he decided to move clear across the country, he had no regrets. He'd been out on the west coast for just about ten years now, and for six of those years, he hadn't seen or spoken to any of his friends and family back in New York. That was hard for him, but he had learned to cope.

He had been really busy the last few years with his work. He had gotten two promotions and was now the head of the paleontology department of UCLA. That didn't leave him much time for his son, but whenever he did have time, he made sure it was memorable. Plus, it's not like Ben didn't have anyone...he had Carol, Ross's ex-wife, and Susan, Carol's partner. Ross knew that they provided well for his son, so he didn't worry. He was happy.

This morning, Ross had been called to the office of the dean of UCLA. He was quite confused, he didn't think he could get promoted any higher, and he was almost positive that he wasn't getting fired. Ross entered the office and the dean stood up to shake his hand.

"Good morning, Ross. How are you?" the dean asked.

"I'm very well, thank you sir. How are you?"

"Fine, I'm fine." Ross nodded. "I bet you're wondering why I have called you here." Ross just looked at the dean, urging him to continue. "We've received word from the Museum of Natural History in New York that they are looking for someone to head up their paleontology department." Ross's eyes grew wide but he didn't say a word, not wanting to interrupt his boss, and not wanting to prolong the suspense he was stewing in. Was this going where he thought it was? "The first name that came to my mind was yours." Ross's jaw dropped.

"Uh – wow. Um, thank you sir."

"Now before you start thanking me, and definitely before you make a decision about this position, you should know more about it." Ross nodded. "You'd basically be doing the same thing you're doing here, however, the pay is much better. You'd be making $125, 000 a year." Ross's eyes widened once again. He couldn't say anything if he wanted to. "The museum is providing a fully furnished apartment in Greenwich Village, and they're providing a car if you would like one." Ross sat there completely still, he couldn't move his muscles, he was stuck. "Now, you must realize that this is a permanent position, so you'd be leaving California for good. And unless you took your son with you, you'd be leaving him behind as well."

Ross's heart sank. That was a _major_ downside. He would have to leave Ben behind if he took this job. But he couldn't take Ben away from his mommies. As much as he was going to miss his son, this was an offer of a lifetime. He could arrange for his son to visit a few times a year, and he could come back every once and a while....

"So, what do you day, Dr. Geller? Are you going to take it?"

Ross looked up and smiled. "Yes, sir. Thank you very much."

The men stood up and shook hands once again. "Great, you have to be there in two weeks so get packing! Let me know if you need anything." Ross headed for the door.

"I will. Thank you again, sir." Ross left the office and stopped just outside the door, shaking his head and massaging his temples. He was moving...to New York. He was going back home to his family - after ten years, he was going back to New York. He didn't expect it, but he felt very excited. He didn't realize how much he missed that place until he knew he was going back.

Ross went home and begun packing and as he was putting a framed picture of himself, Monica, and Rachel in bubble wrap, a thought entered his mind. Should he call and tell them he was moving back? 'No, they probably hate me. Six years—and I haven't spoken to them once. They don't even know about Ben. They won't want to talk to me.', he thought. He just put the frame into a box and continued packing, never giving the issue another thought.  
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Two weeks had gone by and Ross was at the airport getting ready to board his plane to New York. He was knelt down in front of a little boy who had tears streaming down his face.

"Daddy, please don't leave me." Ben pleaded. This broke Ross's heart in two, but this was something that he had to do.

"I'm sorry Ben, but daddy loves you very much and I promise I'm gonna come back and visit you whenever I can, and you can come visit me whenever you want, okay?" the little boy nodded and Ross kissed the top of his head before standing up and kissing Carol on the cheek. "Bye guys." They waved and he turned around and walked away toward the gate, turning back one more time to wave goodbye before getting on the plane.  
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About a week later, Ross was settled in his apartment. There were only a couple of boxes left scattered around. The first week had been rough. He had to call the museum and request that he start later than expected because all of his work clothes had gotten lost in transit and he had no idea when they would turn up.

He walked into Bloomingdale's and walked up to the customer service desk, requesting a personal shopper. He could never pick out a good suit, he had always needed help when it came to fashion. He was directed to a dressing room area where a woman was running from rack to rack apparently looking for something. The customer service representative cleared her throat, "Ahem, Rachel, you have a new client." Rachel turned around and Ross's jaw dropped in surprise.

"Oh my God! Rachel? Rachel Green?" Rachel was confused. Who was this person? How did he know her? 'He looks good, whoever he is,' Rachel thought.

"Uh – yeah. Do you mind telling me how you know me?" Ross was kind of taken aback when Rachel didn't recognize him.

"It's me, Ross. Ross Geller? Monica's brother?"

"Oh my God! Ross?! It's so good to see you!" Rachel ran up to him and hugged him, squeezing him tight. She pulled back, keeping her hands on his arms, taking notice of the muscle she felt beneath them. She looked at his face and smiled, "God, you look so different!"

Ross laughed, "Good different...I hope..."

Rachel snapped out of the trance that she was in, "No, yeah! Don't get me wrong, being in California did you good! You look _great_!" Rachel looked down, embarrassed as Ross raised his eyebrows, obviously more than a little surprised by her enthusiasm.

"Well thanks. You look great too, but I must say, you haven't changed a bit. You're still every bit as beautiful as you were when I left." Rachel smiled, remembering the crush that he had on her when they were in high school. She wondered if maybe a little part of him hadn't gotten over that yet.

"Hey, I was just about to take my break, do you want to grab a cup of coffee and, you know, catch up? I know a great place around the corner...?" Rachel said hopefully. She really wanted to get to know the "new Ross" and possibly find out why he was back in New York after all of this time.

"Sure that'd be great!"  
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Rachel took Ross to Central Perk, but to her disappointment, none of the guys were there. She went up to the counter to get their coffee's while Ross sat on the orange couch. When Rachel returned, they exchanged smiles and she sat down. Rachel playfully slapped his knee, "So how've you been? What are you doing back in New York?"

Ross took a deep breath, "Well, I've been great. I have a four year old son, Ben, with my lesbian ex-wife-" Rachel started laughing, "You haven't changed a bit, have you?"

Rachel calmed herself down and put her hand on his arm, "I'm sorry, I just did not see that one coming. Go ahead, I'm really sorry."

Ross chuckled, "Anyway, I had to leave him back in California with Carol and Susan because I got a job offer over here that I couldn't refuse. So...I'm here. Indefinitely."

"That's great," Rachel smiled. "Monica will be so happy to hear that."

Ross's face lit up, "You still talk to Monica?"

Rachel laughed; she seemed to have forgotten how much Ross didn't know. "Yeah, I've been living with her for four years!"

Ross looked down and started playing with his hands, getting very nervous. "So...she's not mad at me or anything? For, you know, not calling or anything the past few years...?"

Rachel placed her hand on Ross's knee and looked at him comfortingly. "No sweetie, she could never be mad at you! She was sad when you didn't call, but I mean, you're her brother Ross. She'll always love you – no matter what."

Ross smiled. That made him feel a lot better. He and Rachel talked for about an hour before she looked at the time and realized how late she was. "Oh, God, I have to go. It was so great seeing you again, Ross." She hugged Ross and kissed him on the cheek. Then Ross did something he probably wouldn't have done under normal circumstances.

"Hey Rach, how about um...well would you want to....I mean, do you think we could..." Rachel raised her eyebrows expectantly. "Okay, would you want to go on a date with me tomorrow night?"

Rachel smiled at him, "I would really love that."

"Great, I'll pick you up tomorrow at seven then?"

"Sure, just let my give you the address and the phone number just in case you get lost." Rachel wrote all of the information down on a napkin and kissed Ross on the cheek one more time before exiting the coffeehouse, with a very shocked Ross staring after her. He was going on a date. But this wasn't just any date...this was Rachel Green.

-_Author's Note: Please Review this, I love reading them. I'm open to any suggestions about my writing or about the story's plot. I hope you enjoyed it...more to come soon!_


	2. The First Date

_**Love is...**_

_-Author's Note: First off, thank you so much for the reviews!! They make me feel really great and I'm glad you guys like the story. Please leave more when you're done reading this chapter!! _

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Rachel was sitting on one of the chairs in the dressing room at Bloomingdale's, waiting for a client to come out. Of course, Rachel didn't mind waiting. She was wrapped up in her thoughts – all of them of Ross. Or, at least, in some related to him. His hair, his eyes, his smile, and well, you get the picture.

If someone had told her two days ago that she would run into Ross Geller and be going on a date with him, she would've said that they were crazy. But they _were_ crazy weren't they? I mean, how often does an old high school friend come back after ten years, looking absolutely fabulous by the way, and ask for a date? It was unbelievable – and so was the outfit on the woman that just walked out of the dressing room. "Well, what do you think?" the woman asked.

Rachel stood up and brushed some invisible lint off of her skirt. After clearing her throat, she took a deep breath and looked up at the woman with a big, fake smile on her face. She said, "I think it looks wonderful." When in her head, she was saying, 'Oh, dear God! Did I actually pick that out? That outfit wouldn't even look good on a circus freak!'

The woman ended up buying that outfit, and another one that looked very similar to it; and before long, it was time for Rachel to go home.

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Walking down New York City streets during rush hour with something, or someone, taking over every conscious thought in your head wasn't the best idea. Rachel found herself apologizing to almost everyone she came across. If it wasn't for walking right into them, it was for stepping on their feet, or not walking fast enough across the street. But by the time she got home, she had the biggest smile on her face. She'd have to remember – thoughts of Ross seemed to perk her right up. She might be able to use that in the future.

She walked into the apartment and hung up her coat, still smiling. Monica was at the kitchen table eating a cookie and reading a magazine when Rachel sat down across from her.

"Hey Mon. How was your day?" Rachel asked politely.

Monica put down the cookie she was eating and closed her magazine, crossing her arms and leaning back in her chair. "Okay, you _never_ ask me that. It'd be like asking Chandler to explain to you what statistical analysis and data reconfiguration was. Spill it, what happened to you today?"

Rachel looked up at the ceiling and said in an almost regretful tone, "I _would_ like to learn about that one of these days."

"Big picture, Rach. Focus! Now tell me – what the hell happened to you today?"

Rachel smiled and sighed happily, "Ugh, I ran into –" Rachel thought for a second. Did she want to tell Monica that Ross was back or did she want to make it a surprise? 'I'll just let her find out for herself tomorrow. Besides, it will be better for him to tell her what's been going on in his life, not me.' She continued, "– someone today at work, a really great someone, and I have a date with him tomorrow night!"

Monica smiled and raised her eyebrows, impressed. "Wow! So, does this 'someone'," illustrating the quotes with her hands, "have a name?"

"Well, of course he does! But I'm not gonna tell you what it is...I want to properly introduce you tomorrow when he picks me up."

Monica thought this was a little odd, but she didn't push it. Instead, she got up to wash her hands and get a drink. "Okay, whatever...what time is he picking you up?"

"At seven."

"Alright, I'll make sure I'm here."

Rachel smiled. She knew that Monica would be thrilled when she found out that the guy was Ross. It had been really hard for her to lose her brother like that. Hopefully, seeing him again and knowing that he was here for good would help to heal the old wounds.

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Ross walked from one end of his closet to the other, moving hangers around as he went. He couldn't figure out what to wear – he had no suits because he ran into Rachel on that particular shopping trip and got sidetracked, not that he was complaining or anything. Either way, he figured a suit was too dressy. He was only taking her to a simple dinner and a movie. Nothing too fancy.

He stood looking at his wardrobe, taking it all in. After standing there about five minutes, he came out with nice khaki pants and a dark blue cashmere sweater. He got dressed and fixed up his hair. He made sure to bring enough money with him. If certain characteristics about Rachel hadn't changed, he would need the extra cash.

Confident that he wasn't forgetting anything, he sat on his couch and waited for 6:30 to come around. That way, he'd have plenty of time for the possibility of getting lost.

Checking his watch, wall clock, and VCR weren't helping much. As they say, a watched pot never boils. He had never been this nervous before a date with Carol, or anyone for that matter. Finally, his watch said 6:25, and figuring that it was close enough, he grabbed his keys and his wallet and left the apartment.

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Rachel was dressed in a beautiful lilac sundress with a matching cardigan. Her hair was in a loose French twist, allowing some strands to fall and frame her face. Her makeup was done, her shoes were on, and she was putting on her last earring when Monica came home.

"Hey Rach, I'm home!" Monica called out as she hung her purse up on the hooks by the door.

Rachel walked out of the bathroom and into the kitchen, striking a pose. "Hey Mon, does this look okay?"

Monica turned to look at her and her jaw dropped in shock. "Wow Rach, you look awesome! This Mr. "No Name" is gonna be floored when he sees you."

"Aww...thanks!" Rachel hugged Monica.

"No problem sweetie. I'm gonna go get outta these shoes, be right back." Monica walked over towards her bedroom.

Rachel heard a knock on the door and checked herself out in the mini mirror on the table by the bathroom before going to answer it. When she did, Ross was amazed by how wonderful she looked.

To Ross, her beauty was heart-stopping. The way her skin glowed, it was like a million angels shining their light on her. Her eyes were deep, never-ending pools of blue. The dress she was wearing brilliantly accentuated each and every curve of her body. She was unbelievable. "Wow – Rach, you look absolutely amazing!"

Rachel smiled, opening the door wider and stepping aside to let him in. "Thanks, Ross. You look great too."

Monica walked out of her bedroom. She chuckled, "Wow, Ross...I haven't heard that name in such a long ti—" Monica stopped dead when she looked up and saw her brother standing in the doorway. She clutched her chest as tears began to well up in her eyes. "Oh my God! Ross, is that you?"

Ross was staring at Monica. His little sister, who was not so little when he left, had grown into a beautiful woman. He swallowed and took a deep breath. "Yeah, Mon. It's me."

Monica was still having trouble comprehending the situation. Was this really her brother? Finally, she ran over to the door, hugging Ross tight as she burst into tears. Softly into his shoulder she said, "It's really you."

Monica and Ross stayed in that hug for a few moments before pulling back, taking a really good look at each other. "You look so great, Monica."

"You too." Monica was smiling, wiping the tears from her eyes.

Rachel was off to the side, letting them enjoy their moment. After a while of them just staring at each other, Rachel said, "So Monica...this is my date, Ross." This got laughs from both Ross and Monica. Then Monica walked over to Rachel and hit her playfully on the arm.

"I cannot believe you didn't tell me that my brother was your date!"

Rachel threw her hands up and screamed, "SURPRISE!"

Monica rolled her eyes, "You guys get going and have fun." To Ross, "You and me are going out to lunch tomorrow, okay?"

Ross smiled and hugged Monica. "I'll be there."

Rachel grabbed Ross's hand and led him out of the apartment.

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Ross took Rachel to a quiet family restaurant where they were able to talk peacefully. Rachel ordered a simple chef salad and Ross ordered a steak. They spent the evening talking, laughing, and having a blast. For a reason unknown to either of them, they felt so comfortable around each other. The conversation came so naturally and there were absolutely no awkward silences. After they paid the bill and left the restaurant, they walked in the direction of the movie theater.

They walked hand in hand at a slow pace, enjoying the moment. Every once in a while, Rachel would look up at Ross and find his gaze already fixated on her. She couldn't help but smile. He evoked such feelings in her. He made her feel like she was on top of the world, and she loved that. Not even Barry had made her feel like that.

Ross couldn't help but stare at her. She was just so...fascinating. That's the only way he could put it. It wasn't just her beauty that captivated him, though. It was also the way she carried herself. He could tell that she was the type of person that didn't care what anyone else thought of her. He loved that about her. He also loved how her smile seemed brighter than the sun; she just radiated happiness. When she rubbed her thumb in circles over the back of his hand, he got chills up and down his spine. She made him feel so...incredible. Suddenly, he got an urge...

Rachel felt him stop walking and she turned to look at him, confused. "What's wrong?"

He was looking at the sky, a smile on his face. "Nothing. Look at the moon. Isn't it beautiful?"

Rachel followed his eyes and looked up. It _was_ beautiful. There wasn't a cloud in the sky and the stars were scattered around, making the sky look more extraordinary than she had ever seen it before. She knew that part of it was because she was looking at it with him.

She looked back at him, part of her surprised to see him looking at her again, and part of her not surprised at all. "What?" she asked innocently. She was looking at him with her face tilted sideways, a shy smile on her face. God, he made her so nervous. His answer wasn't quite what she expected, and frankly, it wasn't what he expected either. He smiled, leaning in and gently brushing his lips against hers. She softly closed her eyes, putting her arms around his neck as she opened her mouth, wanting more of him as the seconds went by. Imagine if you will, the scene at the end of a sappy romantic movie. When the boy and the girl finally get together for that spectacular kiss where the camera moves in circles around them and you can see fireworks going off in the distance. That is what this kiss was like, in a way. So fast, yet slow and tender at the same time.

As they kissed, both Ross and Rachel had their feelings confirmed. There were so many sparks flitting between them, it was like Disney World on the Fourth of July.

Rachel, completely surprised at what had just happened, slowly broke the kiss and leaned her forehead against his, a very affectionate gesture. He smiled, looking right into her eyes as he whispered, "You're beautiful."

Rachel smiled and him and curled the hair on the back of his head around her finger. "You're my dream come true." Ross leaned in to kiss her again and this one was perhaps even better than the first one, if that was even possible. After a moment, they broke the kiss and continued walking. Every once in a while Rachel would give his hand a squeeze, laying her head on his shoulder as they walked. Not another word was spoken, but somehow they both knew that the movie was not happening. They were content with just walking around the city, enjoying each other's company.

Eventually, they found themselves outside of Rachel's apartment building. She turned to look at him and smiled. Ross did not want the evening to end yet, so he decided to do whatever it took to make it last. "I'll walk you up."

Rachel smiled more as they headed into the building. When they reached her door, she looked at him again. "I had a really great time tonight, Ross. Thank you."

Ross took both of her hands in his and kissed them, all the while looking right into her eyes. "No. Thank you. What do you say we do this again? How's the day after tomorrow?"

"Perfect."

"Just like you." Rachel smiled, her heart melting with every word that came out of his mouth. She pulled him close and kissed him tenderly.

"Goodnight, Ross."

He smiled, "Goodnight, Sweet Dreams." He watched her as she entered the apartment and closed the door.

Once inside, Rachel leaned against the door, smiling at the mere memory of her dream date. She sighed happily and walked over to her room to go to bed.

Sweet dreams indeed...

_-Author's Note: Well...? I hope you guys liked it. I was really happy when I read all of your reviews and it motivated me to get this written and posted in one evening...I can't promise the same speed with the next one, but I'll do my best...please review!_


	3. Introductions

_**Love is...**_

_-Author's Note: Thanks again for all of the reviews...I really hope you guys enjoy this chapter—review it when you're done!! _

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Rachel was on a beautiful private island. Her feet were buried in the sand and she was sipping a margarita. The view straight ahead was gorgeous – white sand coming together with crystal clear water and stretching out to the horizon. The sun was a big, blazing orange ball, sinking slowly out of sight beneath the waves. Rachel was in paradise.

Rachel turned her head and saw a gorgeous figure walking towards her, carrying a bottle of suntan lotion. When he reached her, he put the bottle down and kissed her. He kissed her with such passion that she was forced onto her back in the sand. He released her lips and moved to make his mark on her neck. She moaned in pleasure. "Oh...Ross..."

As luck would have it, just as Rachel was about to get "dream lucky", her alarm went off. She groaned as she turned it off and sat in bed, now smiling. Waking up meant that she would soon be seeing him for real. Kissing those lips, looking into those eyes, seeing that smile...

She got out of bed and headed for what she assumed was the bathroom. She wasn't really paying attention to where she was going; she was just letting her feet take her wherever they wanted to go. She took a shower, got dressed and ate breakfast, thoughts of Ross still cluttering her mind. Before she left for work, she scribbled a note to Monica who was sleeping in because she didn't have to work. It said, 'Hey Mon! Date was great – tell you more later. Bring everyone to Central Perk around five, gonna introduce Ross. Love ya! – Rach'

She grabbed her coat and purse and left the apartment.

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Ross was still lying in bed – he had nowhere to be, so he just lay there staring at the ceiling replaying each and every moment with Rachel in his head. He kept on trying to convince himself that the previous night had never happened, that it was all just a dream – a really, really good dream. One where you wake up and actually _wish_ that what had happened was true – but no. It didn't work. He would remember the butterflies in his stomach, the ones that didn't stop fluttering until well after he dropped her off; he would remember the feel of her lips on his, how magical that sensation was; he would remember the way her skin glowed in the moonlight, making him feel like he was in the presence of an angel...

No, it couldn't have been a dream – it was too real. He couldn't even create someone that perfect in his imagination.

Ross slowly got out of bed and went to the bathroom, whistling the tune from a love song. He ate breakfast, contemplating his agenda for the day. He had that lunch with Monica to go to, so that was a couple of hours taken care of. Finally he realized – he still needed suits for work! He decided he would drop in on Rachel and get his shopping done...

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Rachel was organizing a clothes rack in the dressing room when someone came up behind her, wrapping their arms around her waist and kissing her neck. She was startled at first, but immediately realized who it was – she could never forget those lips – Ross.

She sighed as she closed her eyes, leaning her head back on his shoulder. She lifted one of her arms and stretched it behind her, rubbing his neck as she started to sway slowly. She had a big smile on her face, but she couldn't help it. Having his arms around her, kissing her – she was drowning in him. "Hey," she whispered softly.

He brought his mouth close to her ear and blew in it softly, giving her goose bumps. "Hey beautiful," he whispered back, "You have to help me."

Rachel turned around in his grasp, wrapping her arms around his neck. She looked into his eyes – those big, beautiful brown eyes... "Help you with what?"

"My work clothes got lost on the way from California. I need suits!" he kissed her nose.

Rachel laughed, "Well, you've come to the right place. Let's get you some clothes!" She grabbed his hand and they headed throughout the store. Rachel would stop every once in a while, pick up a garment, hold it up to Ross, then toss it onto the ever-growing pile that he was currently holding. When the weight became too much, he suggested to Rachel that they make their way back to the dressing rooms to try some of the stuff on. Rachel laughed and took some of the stuff off the top of the pile in an effort to lessen the load for him.

When they reached the dressing rooms again, Rachel got Ross situated and then went to sit outside and wait for him to come out. After a few minutes he called out to her, "Hey Rach! Can you come in here and help me out with the tie?"

Rachel smiled and called back as she got up, "You mean to tell me that you have to wear ties to work every day and you don't even know how to tie them?" She opened the door, closed it behind her and stretched her arms out to start tying it. She stopped, hands still outstretched, when she saw that it was already done. She looked up at Ross and smiled when she saw the goofy grin on his face. Suddenly, she grabbed him by the tie pulling him closer as she kissed him, backing herself into the wall. Their kiss grew from passionate to _extremely_ intense as she put her hands underneath his blazer and slid it off of him. He untucked her shirt and slid his hands underneath, feeling her velvety-soft skin beneath his fingers. He broke the kiss and moved to her neck. Her breathing becoming more and more ragged and uneven as she started to undo is tie.

In the midst of all this fiery passion, both were very aware of where it cold possibly lead, assuming that they weren't interrupted, and neither of them had any doubts.

Under normal circumstances, Rachel wouldn't be in this situation. She wouldn't be in the dressing room of her place of employment, getting steamy with her boyfriend. However, this _wasn't_ normal circumstances. This was different – this was Ross. She didn't think about her actions when she was with him, especially when what she was doing felt right. And this felt right. Hell, everything with him felt right.

He couldn't believe it. He was in a dressing room, at Bloomingdale's, in a very intimate situation with a girl that he had had a crush on since the ninth grade. A girl who, ten years ago, was so out of his league it wasn't even funny. He didn't think she was in his league now, but there he was, unbuttoning her shirt. Life couldn't get any better than this.

Rachel was undoing his belt when the phone rang outside. Both breathing heavily, they stopped what they were doing. Rachel leaned back in frustration, than looked at him apologetically. "I have to get that, I'm the only one here."

Ross smiled and nodded as Rachel buttoned up her shirt and checked herself out in the mirror, making sure everything was in place. She exited the dressing room and answered the phone. "Bloomingdale's, personal shopping. Rachel Green, how can I help you?" There's a pause as Rachel listens to whoever is on the other end of the line. "Yeah Mon, he's here." Ross comes out of the dressing room after changing back into his jeans and sweatshirt. "Sure I'll tell him...See ya." Rachel hangs up the phone and walks over to Ross, hugging him around the middle. "Monica wants you to meet her at her restaurant, Allisandro's, in an hour for your lunch date."

He kissed her nose and put and strand of her behind her ear. "Okay, but before I do that, I need to pay for all of this stuff." He gestures towards the counter that is piled his with clothes. Rachel takes a deep breath and walks over to it. "I hope you get paid on commission..." Rachel looked at him and laughed, then pulled him in for a quick peck on the lips.

Rachel rang up his purchases and gave him a very long, passionate kiss goodbye. When they broke it, both were left breathless as she cleared her throat and straightened out her shirt. back to my place around 4:30 and I'll take you to meet the gang." Ross looked hesitant and Rachel picked up on it. "No, don't worry! They're gonna love you! Plus, we need you to even us out. It's always been three girls and two guys, but with you, we'll have three girls and _three_ guys!"

Ross nodded and laughed. "I'll see you later then."

"Yeah, bye sweetie." Rachel watched him leave with a look of hunger and desire in her eyes. Once he was out of sight, she took a deep breath and went to straighten out the clothes on a mannequin, that didn't really need straightening out. She was just doing it to distract herself from Ross. She knew that she was in serious trouble if she didn't get to a point soon where she could think of something other than Ross for longer than three seconds. But a part of her didn't want to do that. She'd never been with a guy before that took over her mind like Ross did, and she loved that. It made him even more special to her.

Ross walked right by Allisandro's without even realizing it. But he knew exactly why. One name; a name that no matter what happened in the future with them, he would always connect to beauty and perfection. And right now, even if he didn't realize it, he was connecting that name to love. More love that he'd ever know. That one name was Rachel Green.

He backtracked and entered Monica's restaurant. She was already waiting by the door and when she saw him, she greeted him with a hug and took him to her best table, where she sat down opposite him. They talked for two hours, going into great detail about their lives over the past ten years. After two hours, Monica had to get back into the kitchen, so they said their goodbyes and Ross left. When he got outside and looked at his watch, he realized that he had an hour to kill; so he decided that he would take the long way to Rachel's apartment and pick her up some flowers or something.

About two blocks and five minutes from Rachel's apartment, he stopped at a street vendor, buying Rachel a beautiful bouquet of white lilies.

Right at 4:30, Ross knocked on the door to Rachel's apartment. Rachel opened the door to the apartment wearing shorts and a small t-shirt. A simple outfit, but to Ross, it was gorgeous. He handed her the flowers, "These are for you."

She smiled at him, "Thank you, they're beautiful." Taking the flowers in one hand, and him in the other, she dragged him into the apartment. Once he was inside, she closed the door behind him and gave him a kiss.

While arranging the flowers in a vase, she asked him, "So how was lunch with Monica?"

Ross sat down at the kitchen table and watched her. "It was great; we talked for like two hours. I think we're all caught up for now."

"That's great." Rachel stood behind him and massaged his shoulders, and then she bent down and kissed his neck, sending him straight to heaven. "You ready to go meet the guys?"

"If it means that you have to stop doing what you're doing, then no, I don't ever want to go."

Rachel laughed and stood up straight, grabbing his hand and pulling him towards the door. "Come on..."

When Ross and Rachel entered Central Perk, Chandler, Joey, Phoebe and Monica were already there. Rachel dragged Ross over to the chair that Monica was sitting in, "Hey guys. I want you to meet Monica's brother and my boyfriend, Ross. Ross, this is Chandler, Phoebe and Joey."

Phoebe turned to look at Ross, "Oooh, _YUM_!" Rachel laughed and put her arm around Ross, resting her head on his shoulder.

After that first awkward moment, everyone started talking and seemed to hit it off really well. Soon it was the three guys talking and the three girls talking. When Ross got up to go to the bathroom, Chandler said to Rachel, "Congratulations, Rach. He seems like a great guy!"

Rachel got up and hugged Chandler. "Thanks honey. That means a lot to me."

Ross and Rachel left Central Perk and headed back up to her place. When they got inside, Ross put his arms around her waist. Rachel smiled and rested her head on his shoulder, "Well, what did you think of them?"

Ross kissed her hair. "I really like them, especially Chandler. I just hope I get to spend more time with them."

Rachel looked up at him and smiled, "Oh, don't worry. You'll definitely be spending more time with them. I don't see you going anywhere anytime in the near future."

Ross smiled and put a strand of hair behind her ear as he leaned in to kiss her. He broke it and softly ran the back of his hand on her cheek.

Looking deep into her eyes, he whispered, "Me neither."

_-Author's Note: Okay, tell me what you guys thought of this chapter...I really love reading all of the reviews...I'm open to any suggestions or tips you may have...I hope you enjoyed! More to come soon..._


	4. Firsts

_**Love is...**_

_-Author's Note: Thank you guys SO much for the reviews!!! You can't possibly know how wonderful they make me feel. I'm really sorry about the delay with this chapter, but you know, being a high school sophomore, I have midterms and projects...and to be honest with you, it took me a few days to come up with the main plotline of this chapter...so I'm REALLY sorry about that again. And to Theresa (cutefriendsfan), thanks for pointing that stuff out...I guess I kind of overlooked it. Hopefully I resolve those issues for you in this one...please leave more reviews when you're done!! On with the story..._

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Rachel could here Ross's heart beating in his chest. _Bump-bump. Bump-bump. Bump-bump._ Coming from him, she thought it was the most beautiful sound in the world. It was a nice little reminder that he was real, that she wasn't living a dream, and that when she opened her eyes, he would still be there.

Rachel was lying on top of Ross on the window seat. She had her head resting on his chest and his arms were wrapped around her waist, sitting comfortably on her stomach. Her hands were atop his, and her fingers were playing with his. She finally knew the meaning of heaven. Time stood still and she felt like she had been there, in that position, forever. But when it came to being with him, forever would never, _ever_ be enough.

She was deep in thought...as usual, thoughts of him, but that was a given. Wasn't it? She was thinking about their relationship...all the questions you normally ask each other: Where was it going? How serious were they? But Rachel, for a reason unknown to her, she didn't think they even needed to bring that stuff up. They had been together for a little over a month, and it seemed to be understood by both of them that they were going to stay together as long as they were happy. She knew what she felt for him, she knew that it wasn't going away anytime soon, and she knew, despite the fact that it hadn't been said, that Ross felt the same. She could tell in the way that he held her, the way he kissed her, the way he spoke to her...she just knew. This wasn't the type of thing that happened to him a lot, and she was happy that it was with her.

_Lying here with you  
Listening to the rain  
Smiling just to see the smile upon your face  
These are the moments I thank God that I'm alive  
These are the moments I'll remember all my life  
I found all I've waited for  
And I could not ask for more_

She smiled as his fingers lightly rubbed her stomach, spreading a feeling of warmth throughout her whole body. Only he had the magic touch that could have that affect on her. And he was so gentle with her – like he was making sure he didn't hurt her. The care he exercised when he touched her made her feel protected, it reassured her that she would always be safe. As long as her was with her, she would always be safe.

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Ross loved touching her. She was so soft; sometimes he was surprised he could even feel her. Her skin was like silk...it was beautiful. She was beautiful.

Sometimes she seemed to perfect to be real. It sounds corny, but it was, oh so true. No one could ever compare to her...ever.

He closed his eyes and smiled, breathing in her scent. God – it was so intoxicating. It made him concentrate on her and only her – it made his mind go straight to her lips, her eyes, her nose, her ears, her fingertips; just...everything Rachel, and nothing else. And he wouldn't have it any other way.

He breathed in a happy sigh and she sat up and turned around to face him, rubbing his thighs with her hands, sending icy currents up and down his spine. 'Only her,' he thought.

She smiled warmly at him, thoroughly enjoying the way he was looking at her; seductive, almost. "Whatcha thinkin' about?" she asked him softly, not wanting to disturb the peaceful silence that had fallen over the apartment in their period of relaxation.

He tilted his head and smiled. "You. Always."

_Looking in your eyes  
Seeing all I need  
Everything you are is everything to me  
These are the moments  
I know heaven must exist  
These are the moments I know all I need is this  
I have all I've waited for  
And I could not ask for more_

Oh, God. How did he do that? When she was already on Cloud 9, he would just say something - it didn't have to be a whole sentence; just two words, and she went even higher. Her heart melted and she just wanted to throw herself on him, showering him with kisses, telling him the power he had over her. All the feelings and emotions he brought out in her. One more word from him and her heart was going to explode...

She smiled and squeezed his hand. "Good answer. You get extra points for that. You're too sweet sometimes."

"Well, I try. Plus, you're just so special, and so....well, how can I not think about you all the time?" She smiled wider. God, he loved that smile. It was the last thing he thought about when he went to sleep, and one of the many things about her that he thought of when he regained consciousness in the morning...he also thought a lot about her eyes, those big, beautiful pools of deep blue. The prettiest blue he'd ever seen....he could see so much in her eyes. He could see everything she was feeling, and he loved that he could read her so well. He could tell when she was upset, or sad. He loved that she could never keep anything from him because her eyes gave her away.

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Rachel noticed that his eyes got distant; he was clearly lost in thought again. She leaned over and lightly grazed his cheek with her hand, bringing him back to reality. He smiled at her, and she leaned in again, kissing him tenderly. When they broke, he took her hands in his, took a deep breath, and said three little words that could never capture just what he was feeling inside. "I love you."

Rachel's eyes widened significantly at the sound of those words. Tears of happiness began to fill her eyes and she whispered so softly it was barely audible, "I love you too."

She squeezed his hands as one single tear rolled down her cheek. Ross lifted his hand and wiped it away, his hand resting on her cheek when he was done. She smiled and took his hand from her cheek and put it to her lips, kissing his fingertips. Then she brought his hand down and placed it on her chest. Not because she wanted him to touch her there, not that she didn't, but she wanted him to feel her heart and how fast it was beating. She wanted him to feel all the love that was building up inside her that would soon be begging to come out. She wanted him to know that all of the love belonged to him and that no one could ever change that.

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When she put his hand to her chest, he felt a connection beyond anything he had ever felt before, with her or anyone. It was a wonderful feeling – her heartbeat getting faster; matching, or maybe even surpassing the speed of his own.

The intensity of this moment was unreal. Smiling and looking into each other's eyes, seeing deeper than they thought humanly possible.

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Rachel's tears were falling freely now, but she didn't care. She wanted him to see just how happy she was. She wanted him to know and love everything about her, and she wasn't afraid to show her emotions. She wasn't afraid to show anything with him, he released all of her insecurities. She had not a care in the world with him. Nothing else mattered. It was just Ross and Rachel in their own little world, and she wouldn't trade that little world for anything.

Slowly, Ross moved his hand from over her heart and brought it once again to her face, moving some free strands of hair behind her ears. They were blocking her face, and he hated that. He didn't think her face should ever be hidden; he didn't think the world should be deprived of such beauty. It just wasn't fair. But at the same time, he wanted to be selfish...he wanted to keep her all to himself, and right there in that moment, she was all his. "You're gorgeous." She smiled as he ran his fingers through her hair until they reached the back of her neck. Then, very slowly still, he pulled her in and kissed her.

_I could not ask for more than this time together  
I could not ask for more than this time with you  
Every prayer has been answered  
Every dream I have has come true  
And right here in this moment is right where I'm meant to be  
Here with you here with me_

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At the touch of his lips against hers, all of the love that had built up inside her heart was released in wave after wave of passion; each second more precious than the one that preceded it.

Rachel brought her arms up and wrapped them around his neck, leaning back and taking him with her as they both sank even deeper into that kiss. It was perfect. The whole evening had been perfect. They had taken a major step in their relationship; a step that, perhaps, they both had been ready to take since day one with their first kiss under the stars. But now, it was even more incredible than they expected...

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Rachel had no doubt in her mind that this was it, Ross was it. She was going to be with him forever. She was going to love him forever – every single day until the day she died, maybe even longer. Just, hearing him say that he loved her, and then saying it back, it felt right...it felt like her life was changing, but in a good way. He made her so happy; no one would ever be able to make her feel half as happy as she was with him. He made her feel special, flawless; the list could go on forever. And right now, in this moment, kissing him and having his weight on top of her...she knew that this time they were going all the way. No telephone calls to interrupt them this time. If the phone happened to ring, they would let the machine get it. This moment, this eternity, it was just way too special to stop.

He tore away from her lips and began to kiss along her neck and collarbone, making her moan. Both breathing very heavily, Ross stopped kissing her and looked into her eyes, coming to a silent understanding with her that he didn't want to stop. She smiled and pulled him down for a deep kiss, her hands traveling from his neck to his hair, leaving a trail of fire on his skin.

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Feeling her touch was...pure bliss. No other feeling could compare to it. It was so soft and gentle. He broke their kiss and picked her up. He carried her to her room and kicked the door shut. He gently laid her down on the bed and was just about to climb on top of her again when she sat up and stood on her knees, at eye level with him. He had a look on his face that she just loved – confusion. He had this goofy smile and his eyebrows were furrowed, looking at her questioningly. It made him look adorable...like a little boy. She giggled and he smiled, still not knowing what she was doing. She ran her fingers through his hair and leaned in. She looked straight into his eyes the whole time. Within centimeters of his face, she rubbed her nose against his, moving side to side. Then finally, she looked down at his lips and closed the distance. This kiss was...nothing short of amazing. Her hands still in his hair, holding his head in place as she slowly slipped her tongue into his mouth, which he gladly accepted.

_These are the moments I thank God that I'm alive  
These are the moments I'll remember all my life  
I've got all I've waited for  
And I could not ask for more_

This kiss was her way of trying to show him how he made her feel. She knew it wouldn't even come close to how she really felt, but she tried to put every ounce of herself into it. She wanted him to know that everything she did, it was all for him. It was because she loved him _that _much, and she would do whatever it took to get that message to him. And this kiss...it was perfect.

He found her advancements so...romantic. The way she rubbed her nose against his before going in, it just made him feel so many things he had never felt before. She was so intimate, so careful, and so wonderful.

His hands traveled down her body to her waist, lifting her up. She wrapped her legs around his waist as he lowered her back onto the bed. He went to kiss her neck as she reached to pull his shirt up over his head. After the shirt was thrown across the room, she unbuttoned his pants. He watched her during this, amused at the look of sheer determination on her face. She _really_ wanted those pants off. Finally, he was above her in just his boxers.

She looked at him, taking it all in. He was the most beautiful man she had ever seen. He had a very toned body, it was gorgeous. And it was all hers, he was all hers...

She looked him in the eyes, and that told him exactly what he needed to know – it was his turn. He slid his hands down to the bottom of her shirt and _very_ slowly lifted her shirt. This was his way of teasing her and he was thoroughly enjoying the pleading look in her eyes. She raised her hips, silently begging him to pick up the pace, but he maintained a slow pace, loving how much she was hating it.

He was torturing her. She wanted him so bad, and he was moving agonizingly slow in removing her shirt. She was just about ready to explode, and throughout all of her misery, he loved it. He loved watching her, helpless. Finally, she put her hands over his and pushed her shirt up faster.

When she made him move faster, he smiled. His strategy was working. After he pulled her shirt over her head, he fixed the hair that had fallen into her face, pushing it back behind her ears. She smiled at this gesture. He was so sweet...so torturous, yet so sweet. Interesting combination.

She watched him slide his fingers over her stomach before stopping to unbutton her pants. She wiggled out of them, now laying beneath him in just her bra and panties. He looked at her, taking in every little detail of her body. Every freckle, every curve. Every...little...detail. She was even more gorgeous than she was before. He was in awe. Her skin glowed, her chest rose with every breath she took. He watched a little bead of sweat travel down in the valley between her breasts. He bent down and licked it off, longing to taste her.

_I could not ask for more than this time together  
I could not ask for more than this time with you  
Every prayer has been answered  
Every dream I have has come true  
And right here in this moment is right where I'm meant to be  
Here with you here with me_

She brought her hands up and caressed his arms. He looked back up at her and they both smiled. No more wasting time. No more waiting. He unhooked her bra and tossed it aside, and then gently slid off her panties, throwing those aside too. She was now completely naked beneath him, and he loved it. He looked her in the eyes and she kissed him, her way of telling him that it was time. He broke it and looked into her eyes, and slid inside her...and then they were one.

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Rachel had one arm and one leg draped over Ross. They were lying in her bed, still basking in the wonder of what they had just done.

She couldn't have been happier. She had just made love to the man that she was sure she'd be with for the rest of her life, and that act had made her even more positive. She couldn't wipe the smile on her face. It was their first time, and it couldn't have been more perfect. Saying their first "I love you's," then spending the most wonderful night ever making love. It was so romantic, and she couldn't have asked for a better 'first time'.

Ross was still in shock. A happy shock though. He was currently lying in Rachel's bed, his arms wrapped around her, and her head on his chest. They had just spent the most breathtaking night together, a night that he would never forget. He knew now, more so than before, that she was the one. There was no other fish in the sea like the one in his arms right now, and he would never let her go. He didn't want to lose this feeling; he didn't want to lose her.

Rachel squeezed him tight as she asked, "What did I do to deserve someone as amazing as you?"

Ross kissed her hair as he thought about this question. He figured it was rhetorical but he wanted to answer it anyway, to tell her how he felt. "You were born." He said simply.

Rachel sat up and looked him right in the eyes. "I love you so much."

She kissed him and he rolled her over so he was on top of her again. He looked down at her, wearing one of the most serious faces she had ever seen. "I love you more than you'll ever know."

_I could not ask for more than the love you give me  
'Coz it's all I've waited for  
And I could not ask for more  
I could not ask for more_

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_-Author's Note: So...what did you guys think of this one? I'm a little worried about it to tell you the truth...so leave me reviews and tell me if it was good enough. By the way, the song I used was "I Could Not Ask for More" by Edwin McCain. Thanks a lot...make my day, leave a review?_


	5. Promises

_**Love is...**_

_-Author's Note: Once again, thank you all SO much for the reviews. I hope this one is as good as you all seem to think the others are. And to Tina Chaves 1: I love every one of your fics and I'm honored that you enjoy mine. To everyone – thank you all! I hope you enjoy, leave me a review when you're done! _

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Rachel was watching Ross sleep. It was very early in the morning so it was still dark, but the moon lit her room enough so that she could see Ross's face twitch as he dreamt. He looked so cute; his hair was disheveled and his mouth hung open, disturbing the peaceful silence in the room every now and then when he inhaled and exhaled deeply.

_Every time our eyes meet  
This feeling inside me  
Is almost more than I can take  
Baby when you touch me  
I can feel how much you love me  
And it just blows me away  
I've never been this close to anyone or anything  
I can hear your thoughts  
I can see your dreams_

She had her chin on his chest and she was looking at him with pure admiration in her eyes. How could God have made someone so perfect? And why had she been the one that this perfect person had chosen to love? Just lucky I guess; very, _very_ lucky.

Ross took a deep breath and Rachel held hers. She lifted her head off of his chest, allowing him to reposition himself with his back facing her. She smiled; partly because she hadn't woken him up, and partly because he was just so damn adorable. She planted a gentle kiss on his shoulder and soon fell asleep, hugging him from behind.

_I don't know how you do what you do  
I'm so in love with you  
It just keeps getting better  
I want to spend the rest of my life  
With you by my side  
Forever and ever  
Every little thing that you do  
Baby, I'm amazed by you_

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Ross woke up to strips of bright light in his face from the way the sun was coming in through the blinds on Rachel's window. Rachel. He looked down and saw her head on his chest, her hair spread all across his upper body. He smiled and brushed some of the hair out of her face. She took a deep breath and squirmed a little, but didn't wake up. He could feel her hugging him tightly around the middle and he stroked her back gently. He stared up at the ceiling and let all of his thoughts go free in his mind.

_The smell of your skin  
The taste of your kiss  
The way you whisper in the dark  
Your hair all around me  
Baby you surround me  
You touch every place in my heart  
Oh, it feels like the first time, every time  
I want to spend the whole night in your eyes_

He started thinking about the amazing events of the previous night. Their first "I love you's". Wow. He had thought, at the time, that saying it was the best feeling in the world; letting all of that emotion finally reveal itself. But he was wrong. Hearing her say it back was the _real_ best feeling the world. Just knowing that someone as special as her actually loved him back was almost too much to take. He'd been given a gift – a gift so amazing that he swore to himself he would never give up. That gift was love. But not just any ole love. This love was the most powerful thing he'd ever felt. This love was everlasting, too. He could feel it. The most important thing about this love and the thing about it that mattered most to him, however, was that it was being returned to him. This wasn't like back in high school when she was the reason why he got up every morning, but she barely knew he even existed. No; this was different, because he knew now that she loved him too. And the feeling you get when you hear words like that is just...mind-blowing.

_I don't know how you do what you do  
I'm so in love with you  
It just keeps getting better  
I want to spend the rest of my life  
With you by my side  
Forever and ever  
Every little thing that you do  
Baby, I'm amazed by you_

Ross lifted his head to get a better look at Rachel's alarm clock. 9:00 Am. He lightly kissed the top of Rachel's head and very carefully wiggled himself free from her tight grasp and out of bed. He put on his boxers and a tee shirt and looked at her again, stifling a chuckle. She looked so funny; when he had gotten out of bed, she moved around a little bit, searching for her muscular pillow. When she gave up the hunt, she had become positioned sideways across her bed. She looked like a little angel.

He left her room and closed the door softly behind him and walked into the kitchen. He poured himself a glass of orange juice and stared thoughtfully into space. After a moment, he put his empty glass in the sink and surveyed the kitchen cabinets looking for everything that he would need to make her breakfast in bed. For the next twenty minutes, Ross fiddled around the kitchen, making a hefty stack of pancakes, toast with strawberry jelly, eggs; and mixing a glass of chocolate milk. He put it all on a tray and took a white lily from the bouquet he'd given her a few nights before. He put the flower in a pretty cup and slowly walked back over to Rachel's room, being careful not to drop anything. He opened the door and set the tray down on a nightstand. Gently stroking her hair and kissing her forehead, he whispered softly, "Rach, sweetie? Come on...get up."

Rachel lifted her head and opened her eyes, squinting against the bright rays of the morning sun. At the sight of his gorgeous face, she smiled. "Hey you."

Ross smiled warmly, "I made you breakfast in bed."

Rachel's heart melted. He was so sweet. Their love was like a fairytale, and Rachel was hoping against hope that it wouldn't end. She took his face in her hands and kissed him. When they broke, she rested her forehead against his and looked into his eyes. She whispered, "Thank you."

Ross smiled and kissed her nose before getting up to get the tray. Rachel repositioned herself normally on the bed and prepared for her breakfast feast. It all looked so good!

Ross sprawled out on the bed, perched himself up on his elbow and watched her eat. She took perfect bites. What he wouldn't give to be that chuck of pancakes right now. She took a bite of her jelly toast and with a mouthful of food, tried to say, "Want some?" In her attempt, little bits of food went flying out of her mouth sending them both into fits of laughter. Ross took the toast and took a huge bite, getting jelly all over his face, but he couldn't feel it. He handed the toast back over to her and was puzzled by the laughter she was trying, but failing, to hold back.

"What?" he asked, laughing, although he didn't know what he was laughing at.

He looked _so_ cute to her. Sitting there with strawberry jelly all over his face and being totally oblivious. She could _definitely_ do this everyday for the rest of her life. She cleared her throat and said, still smiling, "You got some jelly on your face."

"Oh, where? Can you get it for me?"

Rachel smiled, "Sure." Ross leaned closer to her so she could reach him and clean his face. She took a napkin and gently wiped off his face. Ross stared at her the whole time, intrigued by how meticulous she was in getting the jelly off of his face. Rachel moved slower and slower as her eyes moved up from his cheeks to meet his. For a moment, they just sat there, looking into each others eyes, Rachel's hand still up by his face. Finally she dropped the napkin and brought her hand up behind his head and into his hair. She pulled him in for a very passionate kiss, letting all of the feelings inside of her run free. They broke the kiss and Ross smiled, "I love you."

Rachel smiled back, caressing his face, kissing his lips one more time before saying, "I love you too. Probably more than you'll ever know."

Ross took her hand and kissed it. "I doubt that."

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After Ross and Rachel finished the breakfast he made for her, Rachel took everything into the kitchen to clean up with Ross took a shower.

Rachel was at the sink washing dishes and staring out the window, while thoughts of her future with Ross took over her mind. She wouldn't get over how she could so easily picture herself with him at every stage of her life – their lives. She could see herself in the delivery room, giving birth to his children with him right by her side...She could see herself in the backyard of a beautiful two-story house in Westchester, taking care of her garden while Ross and their children wrestled nearby in the grass...but the vision of the future that she loved to think about most was their wedding. I know, I know; the prospect of most women thinking about getting married to a guy after six weeks of dating is terrifying – but not in this case. Rachel couldn't explain it, but there was something in their relationship that told her it was going to last forever. But like I mentioned before, forever wasn't enough. An eternity wasn't enough. Nothing would ever be enough when it came to how long she wanted to be with him. This was more than love. This was longing. This was desire. This was the type of heat and passion that never dies. It never fades away. It never falters – not even for a second. It only grows stronger and stronger with time...

Rachel's thoughts were interrupted when Monica came through the door holding bags of groceries. "Hey Mon!" Rachel smiled.

To Monica, there was something different about that smile. Not bad different by any means - there was just a new element to it she'd never seen before, a new level of happiness. "Hey! Why are you so happy?"

At this question, Rachel beamed, going to the table to sit down and motioning for Monica to do the same. Once Monica was seated, Rachel started the story. "Okay, well...Ross and I sort of had a big night last night...Actually, it was a _huge_ night." Rachel squealed.

Monica laughed at the giddiness that had consumed Rachel. "Why? What happened?"

Rachel, although still smiling from ear to ear, suddenly turned serious. "Well, we said our first 'I love you's' –" Monica gasped and covered her mouth while Rachel nodded emphatically. "And we slept together for the first time." Rachel paused as she stopped to think. "And the second... And the third..."

Monica waved her hands as if to say that continuing wasn't necessary. She screamed, "Oh my God!!" Her eyes tearing, she pulled Rachel into a hug. Into Rachel's shoulder she said, "I'm so happy for you guys."

When Rachel heard this, a couple of happy tears fell down her cheeks and she squeezed Monica tighter. When she spoke, she sounded so small; as if she was a little girl apologizing to her mother after spilling her milk on the floor or something. "Really?"

Monica was shocked that Rachel ever would have thought that she wasn't ridiculously happy for her and Ross. I mean, it was her best friend and her brother for Christ's sake! She could understand how that could creep some people out, but to her, since she already knew them both so well, she knew that they were meant to be, and she would never let herself get in the way of that. She'd never seen either one of them happier and she was so thrilled that hey had found such a strong love in each other. She pulled back enough to look Rachel in the eye and with seriousness in her voice that Rachel had never heard before, she said "Rach, I couldn't be happier for you guys. You're my best friend and I want nothing but the best for you. I know I may be a little biased here because Ross is my brother, but I know that he is the best guy out there for you. I can't imagine two people more perfect for each other and I hope that one day I'll find someone that can make me as happy as you guys make each other."

Rachel smiled, really touched by what Monica said. She really was happy wasn't she? Rachel had to admit, she was a little scared at first that Monica wouldn't be okay with the whole 'her and Ross' thing, but after hearing that, she knew she had noting to worry about. "Thanks, hon. That means so much to me. And don't worry, I know there's someone out there just waiting to sweep you off your feet and shower you with all the love you deserve."

Monica smiled and hugged Rachel once more. "Okay, now help me put these groceries away." Rachel laughed. Two minutes of sentiment and not thinking about cleaning or straightening up, and Monica was already back to normal.

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Ross and Rachel were walking through Central Park after a very romantic dinner on a pier that Ross had set up. He was the sweetest thing on Earth. He had all of her favorites – chicken marsala, white wine, and bread pudding for dessert. He even had a boom box playing a CD of romantic love songs while they ate. So far the night had been perfect.

_Never knew I could feel like this  
Like I've never seen the sky before  
Want to vanish inside your kiss  
Everyday I love you more and more  
Listen to my heart, can you hear it sing  
Telling me to give you everything  
Seasons may change winter to spring  
But I love you until the end of time_

They were walking hand in hand, enjoying the spectacular view of New York City and Central Park at night; enjoying the feeling that never seemed to go away, that feeling like they were the only two people left on the planet.

Rachel kicked a rock on the sidewalk and watched it roll off and into the grass. "Ross?"

Ross turned to look at her, baffled by the worried sound in her voice. "Yeah?"

Rachel avoided his gaze. She could feel him looking at her, but she didn't look back because she knew that the moment their eyes met, she would lose every coherent thought she had. Only he could do that to her. She could tell that he was getting worried so she gave his hand a comforting squeeze. "Promise me something?"

_Suddenly the world seems such a perfect place  
Suddenly it moves with such a perfect grace  
Suddenly my life doesn't seem such a waste  
It all revolves around you  
_

'Uh-oh', Ross thought. Where was this going? "Anything."

It was then that Rachel decided to look at him. She turned her head and met his eyes. "Promise me you'll love me forever."

Ross smiled a little bit and stopped walking, taking both of her hands in his and kissing them both. "_That_, I'm afraid, is out of my control." Rachel looked confused. What the hell was _that_ supposed to mean? "I couldn't stop loving you even if I wanted to."

_And there's no mountain too high no river too wide  
Sing out this song and I'll be there by your side  
Storm clouds may gather and stars may collide  
But I love you until the end of time_

Rachel broke into a grin and kissed him tenderly. "That...was an excellent answer."

Ross smiled as he started to walk again, pulling her with him. He looked up at the stars as he said casually, "And do _you_ promise to love _me_ forever?"

Rachel squeezed his hand again and rested her head on his shoulder. "Till the stars stop shining and the sky's no longer blue."

"Ah..you're not so bad with the words yourself..."

Rachel laughed as she playfully hit his arm. He smiled and wrapped his arm around her, leaning down to kiss the top of her head. Softly she whispered, "I love you."

"Ditto."

_Come what may, come what may  
I will love you until my dying day_

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_Author's Note: So that's number five! Let me know what you guys thought of it! I'm a little worried about this one too...hmm...anyway, the first song I used in this chapter was "Amazed" by Lonestar and the second one was "Come What May" by Ewan McGregor and Nicole Kidman for the Moulin Rouge soundtrack. Hope you enjoyed...please leave me a review!_


	6. Meeting Dr Green

_**Love is…**_

_-Author's Note: Okay, I'm back!! Thanks so much for all of the reviews—they really are what keep me writing…I read all of the wonderful things you guys say and I get the motivation to go write, so I finished chapter 6, FINALLY. I really hope this is worth the wait of what, a month? A month and a half? I don't want to make any promises that I can't keep, but I am really going to try hard and get the chapters that follow up here on weekly intervals, but once again…no promises. Anyway—on with the story (leave a review when you're done…)!_

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Ross's hands shook as he fumbled with his tie, trying with all of his might to get it perfect, but not really succeeding. His heart was beating so fast in his chest that he was just waiting for it to explode inside him. But to be honest, he would rather have that happen than go through with the dinner date he was getting ready for. Normally he wouldn't be so nervous and petrified, but this was oh-so-different from all of his other dates with Rachel. Yes – this one…was the one where he met Rachel's dad; and most importantly, the one where Rachel's dad met him.

Now, of course, he had already "met" Rachel's father. What with all of the holidays the two families spent together throughout his childhood and most of his teenage years. But this was different – this time he was not to be introduced as Ross Gellar, Monica's geeky older brother and son of Jack and Judy; but as Ross Gellar, boyfriend of Rachel Green.

As much as he tried to shake it, Ross couldn't get rid of the burdening feeling that Rachel's father was going to hate him. He didn't know why, but he knew how Dr. Green operated, and he knew that Dr. Green would want nothing but the best for his little princess. Ross was just afraid that in the eyes of Dr. Green, he would be anything but the best, no matter what he did to prove otherwise.

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During his walk to Monica and Rachel's apartment, Ross couldn't get his mind off of his fears. He hoped and prayed that seeing Rachel would help him. The sight of her smile had banished his worries and negative thoughts before, why not this time too?

Ross absent-mindedly walked up the stairs to apartment and entered. He had gotten the hang of that, finally. In the first two weeks that he had been back in New York, he'd driven the gang nuts because he always knocked when he came by, instead of just coming right in. So, after countless reminders from Rachel and the guys, it finally stuck.

Monica, Phoebe, Chandler, and Joey were sitting around the table in the kitchen when Ross entered. All four of them greeted him, but he waved them off and stared at the floor as he walked into the living room.

"Rachel's still in her room getting ready, by the way…" Monica said sarcastically, taking notice of his nervousness. Ross looked at her and nodded, as if not knowing what she was talking about before focusing his attention at the floor again, still pacing back and forth in front of the television.

Ross's mind was going frantic. 'Don't speak unless spoken to.' 'Don't laugh too hard at his jokes…' He was making more mental notes than his brain could handle, trying to get rid of the incessant fears of screwing up. Tonight was going to be hell and he was going to be in the company of Satan. _Fun._

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Rachel stood in the doorway staring at Ross. He was still pacing back and forth, and she could see fear staining his face and eyes as he gazed at the floor, walking this way and that; not even noticing her presence. She adjusted herself, resting her weight on her left side as she tilted her head, an expectant smile on her face; a smile that showed her trying not to laugh. She found it so sweet that he was as terrified as he was, it made her feel so special.

She looked away from Ross and over to the gang who were still in the kitchen. They were all looking at her, smiles spread across their faces as they too tried to conceal laughter, not that Ross would've been aware of it.

Rachel put her finger to her lips as a sign for them to be quiet as Ross started pacing away from her. The gang nodded and Rachel walked over and stood in Ross's path with her hands behind her back, an innocent smile on her face. Ross turned around and took a couple of steps before he walked right into Rachel. "Oh, Jesus!" he said, shocked that he'd walked into someone. Noticing it was Rachel, "I'm so sorry Rach, are you okay?"

Rachel smiled and held both of his hands. She pulled him closer and planted a gentle kiss on his lips. "Don't worry, I'm fine…" Ross nodded. The fear had gone away for a second, but had soon returned at the thought that they would be leaving in just a couple of minutes for the dinner from hell…His eyes got all distant and he looked at the floor once again, "Ross, honey…what's wrong?"

Rachel knew full well what was wrong; she just…wanted to act as if she didn't think there was anything to worry about. But to be completely truthful, she was a little scared of dinner tonight too. Not because she thought her father wouldn't like Ross, she was scared of how critical her father would be. You see, with her father, he'd always 'liked' the men she dated; he just didn't like them for her. And in the past, whatever he said went. If he didn't think someone was good enough for her, that was it – she was never allowed to date them again. But not this time; no. She wasn't going to let her father get in the way of her and Ross – she loved him too much.

"Nothing Rach…it's just – I'm so scared of screwing up at dinner tonight…It's inevitable! I'm going to shake his hand too long, I'm gonna….I'm gonna –" Ross's ranting was cut short when Rachel put a finger to his lips. Ross looked down and into Rachel's eyes, releasing a breath he didn't realize he'd been holding.

Rachel held Ross's head in both of her hands and said to him slowly, to make sure he understood, "Ross, listen to me." He nodded his head in her hands. "You are going to be fine. You are not going to screw this up, okay? You're going to be yourself and he's going to love you…Maybe not as much as I do, but we'll take what we can get." Ross chuckled, amazed at how her words and the sound of her voice could calm his nerves as easily as they could.

_You are my everything  
Nothing your love won't bring  
My life is yours alone  
The only love I've ever known  
Your spirit pulls me through  
When nothing else will do  
Every night I pray  
On bended knee  
That you will always be  
My everything_

Softly he whispered, "Okay. Thank you. I love you so much." Rachel smiled and kissed his nose.

After exchanging goodbyes and good lucks with the gang, Ross and Rachel left the apartment, hand in hand.

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They decided to walk to the restaurant since it was so close. They didn't talk; they just held hands and enjoyed the scenery.

Rachel could tell that Ross was still terrified though, and she at least wanted to try again to make him feel better.

"Ross, please relax! You have nothing to worry about!" Rachel said desperately.

Ross dropped her hand and took a step back from her, "But I do, Rachel! I have a lot to worry about! When we get in there, he's gonna judge and critique everything I do – If I hold my utensils correctly; if I pull out your chair for you." Rachel opened her mouth to say something but Ross cut her off. "No! Listen, Rach. For you, this is just a nice evening with your father to introduce him to the guy you've been dating for the past 3 months. But for me, it's completely different. I want to make a good impression so he doesn't decide at the end of this dinner that I'm not good enough for his little girl." Rachel looked down, taking a deep breath and trying to think of something to say to that, because it was true. Everything _was_ different for him. He was going to be held under the microscope and she was going to be showered with love.

Ross walked over to a bench that was nearby and sat down, holding his head in his hands. He took a few deep breaths and felt Rachel sit next to him and rub his back softly. "I'm sorry, Rach. I shouldn't have yelled."

Rachel massaged the back of his neck. "No, Ross. Don't be sorry. You're right. It is different for you and I should've realized that sooner." Rachel reached for his hand and pulled him so he was facing her. "But Ross, you need to know this – we could go in there, and my father could hate you. He could hate you so much that he forbids me from seeing you again –"

"Thanks, that helps…"

"- No, listen. He could forbid me from seeing you ever again but I won't listen to him, and do you know why?" Ross shook his head. "It's because I love you too much to let my jackass father take you away from me, okay? I love you too much to care what he thinks about you because I know we're going to be together forever and there isn't a damn thing he can do to change that. I'm not going to let my father deny me my one true love – the man that makes me happier than I ever thought I could be. That's why."

"Wow Rach. I love you too, so much."

Rachel smiled and lightly stroked his cheek with the back of her hand. "I know you do."

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Much to Ross's surprise, dinner actually went well. In fact, he and Dr. Green had a lot in common, and as terrifying as that may sound, it really wasn't too bad. I mean, they weren't similar as far as mannerisms were concerned, but they were able to agree on a lot of stuff – sports, politics, technology, Rachel…

Ross ended up walking out of the restaurant after dinner feeling really refreshed, and so optimistic that it was a little scary to Rachel. One particular time, Ross walked up to a parking meter and studied it so carefully that Rachel walked over and asked him if he was okay. And the truth was, he was even better than okay – he had the most beautiful woman in the world to wake up to every morning, a woman who would never know how weak in the knees he got whenever she walked into a room; a woman who would never know how much he thanked God that he was alive and that she was with him.

_Now all my hopes and all my dreams   
are suddenly reality  
you've opened up my heart to feel  
a kind of love that's truly real  
a guiding light that'll never fade   
there's not a thing in life that I would ever trade  
for the love you give it won't let go  
I hope you'll always know_

_You are my everything_

She would never know the intense power that she had over him and how her smile could brighten even the darkest of days; or how her eyes had a sparkle that no diamond would ever compare to. There were so many things that she did to him, so many things feelings that only she could bring out in him and she was oblivious to it all…

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After dinner with her father, Rachel couldn't have been more ecstatic. Her father seemed to really like Ross, and she was so thankful for that. She was so happy that she'd finally met a man that pleased her father, but even if Dr. Green hadn't like Ross it wouldn't have changed a thing.

She wouldn't love Ross any less if her father disapproved. If anything, she would love him even more, if that was possible…she loved him so much already.

But now that she thought about it, she came to the astonishing conclusion that she didn't really 'love' Ross. I bet you're thinking, 'How the hell is that a good thing?" But it was – it was a great thing – because she knew that the feelings she had for Ross were more than love. Love didn't even come close to how wrapped up in him she was, and it was something that she'd never be able to explain.

The way her heart jumps at the slightest touch of his skin on hers; the way that her breathing becomes erratic and uneven whenever he's near; the way that sometimes when she's at work and she sees his picture on her desk, she wants to be with him, kissing him and holding him so bad that she almost drops everything and runs 13 blocks to the museum to get to him. It never ceases to amaze her how he always knows what she's thinking. He always knows exactly how she's feeling and he always knows how to comfort her.

_You're the breath of life in me   
the only one that sets me free  
and you have made my soul complete  
for all time (for all time)_

And through all of these revelations, Rachel realized that no one knows her better then Ross does – not Monica, not her father – and no one will ever love her like he does. And she wouldn't change that for anything.

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Ross and Rachel were walking back to her apartment. Ross had finally calmed down and was staring at Rachel, smiling at how perfect she was and how beautiful she looked. He hadn't noticed before just how wonderful her dress looked on her. It was amazing – a red, spaghetti strap, silk dress that accentuated all of her gorgeous curves…he was shocked at how every piece of clothing she donned seemed like it was made for her. It seemed as though everything she owned captured her beauty in some way he didn't even see possible; whether it brought out the beautiful blue colour of her eyes, or whether it matched the soft blonde of her velvety hair – every outfit made her so flawless, capitalizing on the beauty that she radiated naturally.

"You look gorgeous tonight. I'm sorry I didn't say anything before." Ross whispered. Rachel looked up into his eyes and smiled. She didn't say a word, but then again, she didn't have to. Their connection was just that real. She lightly rubbed her thumb over the back of his hand and looked back at the pavement, a smile still spread across her face. This was perfect.

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When they reached Rachel's apartment, they walked in to find everything dark – Monica had gone to bed. Ross hung Rachel's purse and his coat on the rack by the door as she slowly walked over to him, wrapping her arms around his waist. She looked up into his eyes and whispered, "I love you."

Ross didn't feel that saying "I love you too" would adequately capture just what he was feeling inside so instead, he leaned in and gave her the most incredible kiss she'd ever been a part of. This kiss seemed to last for nothing short of an eternity and it was so intense and passionate that when they broke, Ross was practically holding Rachel up and she was trying to catch her breath. "Wow…what was that for?"

"Everything. That was for everything you've taught me, everything you've given me. That's because I can't imagine my life without you and I hope I never have to. That is a thank you – for being you, and for loving me. You'll never know how much you mean to me. _Never_."

Rachel felt her eyes welling up. The sincerity in his voice was astounding. She whispered, "Oh God, Ross…I'm never _ever_ letting you go. I love you so much." She leaned in and kissed him softly, resting her head on his shoulder when they broke. How it was possible to love someone as much as she loved she would never know, but she wouldn't trade that love for anything in the world…

_Every night I pray  
down on bended knee  
that you will always be  
my everything _

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_-Author's Note: Okay so that was Chapter 6. Let me know what you guys thought of it…was it good? I'm a little worried because it has been so long since the last main update, I hope I captured everything correctly. The song I used was "My Everything" by 98 Degrees. Please, pwetty pwease leave me reviews!_


	7. Benny Boy and Motherly Love

_**Love is…**_

**_Author's Note: Well, I am quite sure that there are at least five people that I just made extremely happy with this update.  Yes, I am back – again. I bet you guys thought that I had completely forgotten about this fic, but nope. I love it, but it has been causing me some problems lately. This chapter was so damn hard to write. Mainly because it is SO important and I wanted to make sure that everyone, inside the story and out, was happy. So here it is. I'm hoping that from here on out it will be slightly easier to write these chapters… I hope you enjoy and please leave me a review when you're done and tell me what you thought! Happy Reading!_**

XoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoX

Rachel woke with a start, stretching her stiff and sore muscles as best she could in a space as small and confined as an airplane seat. She blinked several times and shook her head, attempting to shake off a good three hours of deep, coma-like sleep. Turning her head, she found herself looking into the deep brown abyss of Ross's smiling eyes. He leaned in and kissed her tenderly before whispering, "Good morning, beautiful."

She smiled her signature Rachel-smile and yawned, resting her head on his shoulder. "Are we almost there?"

"We still have about an hour to go. We're over Arizona right now."

Rachel sighed and closed her eyes. Her stomach had been filled with butterflies nonstop for about two weeks. That's when she found out about this trip. Ross had planned everything as a surprise for her birthday and she was so excited… she couldn't wait. But she was still nervous as hell. Why? Because they were headed out to California – to meet Carol, Ben, and Susan, the people who, next to Ross of course, would probably come to be the most important people in her life. They were such a big part of Ross's life already and whatever was important to him affected her tremendously. Especially when it came to his son…

_If all of my life I try and I try  
Baby I could never show you  
All this love I have inside_  
'_Cause every day when we wake  
I look deep into your eyes  
I realize_

Ross had booked a two bedroom villa at some fancy hotel for two whole weeks. He did this so that Ben could stay with them while they were visiting. It would give Ben and Rachel time to bond and time to get to know each other, which was very important considering the fact that Rachel was going to be a part of Ross's life for, well, for as long as she could be.

Ross had been waiting for this opportunity for months; the opportunity to introduce his son to the woman who, no doubt, was going to end up as his step-mother – sooner or later. It was so important, sort of like a seal of approval. He wanted to make sure Ben and Rachel got along before anything more serious and life-changing happened that would affect all of their lives.

Ross looked over at Rachel, watching her stare out the window. He saw the distant look in her eyes and smiled. She'd been a wreck about meeting Carol, Ben and Susan since she first found about the trip in the first place. She'd come home from work, laden with shopping bags from such stores as Toys 'R Us and FAO Schwartz, unloading each one of toy after toy, and going on about not knowing what to get. All, of course, while Ross just watched her and smiled. On days like that, which was most days, she would get so worked up that she'd sound a little too much like Monica for it to be healthy. That's when Ross would get up, walk across her apartment and envelope her in a hug so tender and loving that it almost made her cry. They'd just stand there, wrapped up in each other, feeling each other's heart beats while Ross whispered soothing things into her ear, assuring her that everything was going to be perfect, that Ben was going to love her and that she didn't have a thing to worry about. That would, of course, eventually lead to some small kisses, which would then lead to intense kisses, which would then lead them into her bedroom, where they would stay for hours even after making love just staring at each other, uttering sweet things when it seemed to be the right moment. The love that had been shared in the confines of those four walls was so much, so inexplicable, so perfect…

_I could kiss you in the rain forever  
Turn all of your pain to pleasure  
Fill up all your days with sunlight  
Make the passion last every night  
Give you my every possession  
Make you my only obsession  
Climb up to the sky and pull down all the stars above  
But I could never love you enough_

Looking at her now, as she played with her fingers and sighed, his heart absolutely melted. She was so gorgeous it was unreal. He reached over and put his hand on her thigh, giving it a gentle, reassuring squeeze; just another one of the little things he did for her that held so much meaning. She looked over at him and smiled an apologetic smile. "I'm sorry," she said, shaking her head. "I'm just so nervous."

"Don't be sorry, Rach. I know you're nervous, and you're entitled to be. Actually, I couldn't find it more adorable." Ross smiled shyly. He took one of her hands and kissed it softly.

Her heart danced as she felt his skin on hers and she looked at him, beaming with pride as he continued to kiss her hand, slowly making his way up to her wrist, up her arm… "I love you so much."

… Her shoulders, her neck, her jaw…

"I love you too."

XoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoX

Putting the final touches on her makeup before they left, Rachel gave herself the final once-over and deemed herself presentable and ready to go. She put on her other earring and put a dab of her perfume behind her ears. Not bad, she thought.

She walked out of the bathroom and into the sprawling master bedroom of the lavish and no doubt ridiculously expensive villa, nearly killing herself on one of her suitcases that she had not gotten around to unpacking. It was only their first day; she still had plenty of time. Walking out into the kitchen, where Ross was waiting patiently, she took pleasure in seeing how quickly he'd lost his breath just after one quick glance in her direction. They were both dressed nicely, for they were taking Carol, Susan and Ben out to a nice dinner before taking Ben for two weeks. Rachel was in a tight lavender strapless dress, with a purse to match, of course, while Ross was attractively clad in a black suit with a pink shirt. He was wearing no tie, and the top two buttons of the shirt were undone. Rachel was quite swept away herself by his appearance, and who could blame her? He was looking downright hot!

After collectively picking their jaws up off the floor, Ross walked over to her and placed his hands around her waist, resting them on the small of her back. "You ready to go?" He whispered.

Taking a deep breath and softly closing her eyes for a brief second, Rachel smiled and said, "You bet. Let's go." Ross smiled kissing her forehead, reaching for her hand to lead her out of the apartment and to the car. (_A/N: I'm sure reading the word "villa" gets annoying after so many times. I might just use "apartment" from now on…_)

The introductions were somewhat awkward, partly because Rachel didn't really know how to act around a lesbian couple. But after a couple of minutes, she realized that their sexual preferences made them no different from anyone else, and the rest of the evening went by so quickly that Rachel was shocked when she looked casually at her watch and discovered that four hours had gone by.

Rachel thought that Carol and Susan were great. She could totally see why Carol and Ross had been together, while understanding at the same time why they couldn't have worked out even if Carol was straight. She was just too straight-laced. She didn't take any risks and she didn't have the spontaneity that Ross needed. Rachel really enjoyed herself, though. Conversation between the four adults flowed easily and she was thankful for that. Carol and Susan were very welcoming and even commented about how happy and perfect Ross and Rachel looked with each other.

And Ben… Ugh, that little boy could melt your heart in two seconds flat. He had Carol's blonde hair but he had Ross's eyes and he had Ross's mouth… All of his features just screamed "Gellar" at her. He was so sweet… He'd been brought up well, had good manners and kept himself occupied most of the time with a dinosaur stuffed animal. Shocking, I know. By the end of the evening, he was falling asleep in his chair.

After Ross paid the bill and everyone said their goodbyes, Rachel picked up a sleeping Ben to carry him to the car. All the way home, he slept in her lap, with his head resting on her shoulder. She was mesmerized by him. He had taken to her so easily, without hesitation. The whole ride home, she didn't even look at the scenery that was just outside the car windows. She paid no attention to the expensive stores on Rodeo Drive, didn't even see the massive mountains that painted such a beautiful picture in the distance. All of her attention was turned toward the beautiful creation she had in her arms. She never knew it was possible to love someone so much so soon, but she did, and it didn't scare her at all.

_If I could have one wish it would just be this  
That I could take you to my soul  
And show you all the love there is  
This never ending sea deep inside of me  
There's no stopping it baby even if…_

All the while when she was staring at Ben, Rachel didn't realize that Ross looked at her every chance he got in between watching the road out in front of him. He watched her stroke Ben's arm, watched her kiss the top of his head, and watched her smile as she touched each and every one of his fingernails. Until that point, he didn't think he could be any more in love with her, but now he realized. There was still so much more love for her left in him – so much more to show, so much more to give, so much more to say. Looking at her now, it almost brought tears to his eyes. Rachel with makeup on and in fancy clothes was beautiful. Rachel in sweatpants, no makeup, and cranky was gorgeous. But Rachel with a sleeping child in her arms, Ross's child, with overwhelming amounts of love and admiration in her eyes was almost too much to take. It was stunning, it was spectacular. It was absolutely amazing.

When they reached the hotel, Rachel carefully slid out of the car while Ross held the door open for her. Looking up at him, with Ben still in her arms, she looked into his eyes and smiled. It was a small smile, but with them, it said so much. She walked quietly into the apartment with Ross behind her, carrying Ben's suitcase. He stood in the doorway as she meticulously changed the boys' clothes, doing it ever-so-softly so as to not wake him up. Ross watched her every move, a smile on his face, in his eyes, in his heart. He could get used to this – tucking in a sleeping child every night. This, family, was something he'd been dreaming of for as long as he could remember and he smiled even more at the thought that now he was so close to that dream he could taste it. So close he could hold in his grasp.

_I could kiss you in the rain forever  
Turn all of your pain to pleasure  
Fill up all your days with sunlight  
Make the passion last every night  
Give you my every possession  
Make you my only obsession  
Climb up to the sky and pull down all the stars above  
But I could never love you enough_

Rachel smoothed Ben's hair and kissed his forehead, looking at him as she closed the door to his bedroom. She turned down the hall and went into her and Ross's room where he was beginning to change into his pajamas. She came up behind him and wrapped her arms around his waist, slipping one of her hands in between the buttons of his shirt and rubbing his stomach. "I love him Ross. I love him so much." She kissed between his shoulder blades and gave him a soft hug from behind.

Ross smiled as he turned around and wrapped his arms around her waist, leaning back slightly to allow her to put her arms around his neck. He affectionately put his forehead up against hers and smiled. "You looked so gorgeous with him. It was perfect. I've never seen anything like it…"

Rachel could feel the tears welling up in her eyes. As Ross wiped away the ones that fell, she grabbed onto his hand and thrust herself up, catching his lips with hers so quickly that she took him by surprise. Soon, without fail, she was cupping his face in her hands as the kiss grew more and more intense, their lips moving in rhythmic circles and their tongues fighting so wildly within his mouth that they were using each other's strength to maintain balance. They slowly backed themselves up to the bed. They removed each article of clothing slowly and intimately, not allowing themselves to get too wild or desperate. Sex with them had never been about that. It had always been deliberate, giving them time to enjoy each others presence. It had also been about making love. It was never "just a quickie" because to them, it meant to much more than just a screw in the morning before work. There was always love, they could feel in every touch, every kiss, every caress. And while the things they did with each other in the bedroom wouldn't necessarily solicit a description like "intimate" or "caring", the way they did it, and the sensitive kind of neediness they exhibited always made it seem much more civilized than it normally would have been.

Ross was doing his typical trek down her body, spending a little time everywhere; making sure Rachel was completely satisfied. He looked into her eyes and smiled as he kissed her stomach and her belly-button, making her giggle. He loved that noise. And as his fingers tickled the waist of her panties, she took a deep, jagged breath and closed her eyes, ready for the start of the only thing that could truly capture the love that they had for one another. One more lasting, lingering kiss on her lips, and he entered her, sending her into that familiar world of satisfaction and ecstasy that would have her on cloud nine until they went to sleep again the next night.

_No matter what I do  
It's never as much as I want to  
Baby it could never be enough_

As he went in and out of her for what they both knew would probably be the last time tonight, Ross bent down and kissed her passionately, before whispering a breathy, "I love you…" and collapsing onto her naked, sweaty chest. They fell asleep like that, him on top of her, with her stroking his sweat-matted hair and him kissing her collarbone. As her eyelids became too heavy for her to keep open and her arm lost the will to move, she whispered, "I love you too," and moved past the dreamlike reality of making love to Ross, and into the dreamlike reality of peaceful slumber.

XoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoX

Ross woke up to the bright orange rays of the sun in his face and reached for Rachel on the bed beside him only to find that she wasn't there. He sat up and rubbed the sleep out of his eyes and stumbled into the bathroom where he washed his face and brushed his teeth amidst thoughts of Rachel and the glorious memories of the night before. Of how her and Ben had had such a strong connection; how beautiful it was to see Rachel taking care of his son, putting him to bed, and loving him like only a mother could love a child. It was amazing to him how she radiated that maternal love only hours after meeting her potential step-son. He could see, as soon as they were introduced, an immediate attraction and immediate bond that he was sure could never be broken. He walked out into the kitchen and came up behind Rachel who was making pancakes for Ben, giving her an open-mouthed kiss on the back of her neck causing her breath to catch in her throat, nearly making her drop the spatula she was holding.

_I could kiss you in the rain forever  
Turn all of your pain to pleasure  
Fill up all your days with sunlight  
Make the passion last every night  
Give you my every possession  
Make you my only obsession  
Climb up to the sky and pull down all the stars above  
But I could never love you enough_

Nervously giggling, she said, "Good morning to you too." Ross smiled and kissed her nose before turning to Ben, who was in the living room watching TV, and saying, "'Morning, buddy!"

Rachel smiled, watching as Ben jumped off the couch into Ross's arms screaming, "Good morning, daddy!" She put the pancakes on a plate, drowned them in syrup, fixed a bowl of cereal for Ross and put it all on the table, thinking all the while that she could see herself doing this. She could see herself being a mother to this beautiful little boy, helping to raise him to be a man just like his father, a man that any girl in her right mind would kill for. And as she sat down next to Ross at the table and felt his hand on her leg underneath, she smiled and looked at Ben, at the beginning of a brand new life.

_But I could never love you enough…_  
****

XoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoX**_  
_**

**_Author's Note: So that was the long overdue Chapter 7. How was it? Please leave a review to tell me if there's anything that you feel wasn't as good as it should have been. The song that I put in there is "Never Love You Enough" by Chely Wright and I used it because I think that it also captures the love that Rachel has found in Ben, also. I think it works well both ways. Plus, it sounds absolutely beautiful so listen to it if you ever get the chance… Don't forget to review! They make me sooo happy!_ **


	8. Spending Our Days with Ben

**Love is…**

**Disclaimer: Screw it – I don't own nothin'. **

_**A/N:** Okay, chapter 8 of Love is… is finally up! Once I moved on from things that weren't working with it, everything came pretty easy. Sorry for the long wait. Anyway, I hope this is good… Please leave me a review when you're done so I can tell if I'm still on the right track. These hiatus' really take away what you know about the storyline. You forget what you've already written, etc. So – READ and REVIEW! Thanks – I love you guys!_

_Ding._

"We have come across a small air bubble in the atmosphere and we may experience some minor turbulence in the next ten to fifteen minutes. The captain has asked that everybody remain in their seats with the seatbelts securely fastened until the seatbelt sign is turned off."

Ben sat up in his airplane seat and pulled the end of his seatbelt, making it so tight around his waist that he could barely breathe. His little hands gripped the armrest mercilessly, whitening his knuckles straight down to the bone. Rachel reached over and loosened his seatbelt and soothingly rubbed his hand. "Ben, sweetie, you don't have to worry. The captain will make sure everything is okay. He'll make sure everyone stays safe."

"I don't want to die," he whimpered, his nose wrinkling as the tears fell quickly and silently from his blue eyes.

Rachel relaxed his grip on the armrest and took off his seatbelt, pulling over into her lap to give him a reassuring hug. "Shhh…" she smoothed his hair and patted his back as his sobs turned into sniffles. "Ben honey, you're not going to die. Okay? Your daddy and I are going to protect you. We'll make sure you stay safe." Rachel released Ben from her arms and sat him more comfortably on her lap where she wiped the remaining wetness from his face. "We won't let anything hurt you…Right Ross?"

No answer.

"Ross?" Rachel turned to see Ross sleeping, his mouth hung wide open and his face angled toward the aisle, giving the whole plane a look straight down to his tonsils. Rachel covered her mouth to stifle the laughter that was fighting its way out, and turned to look at Ben, who had not missed the humor in his father's current position. Rachel touched Ben's nose and said, "Your dad's silly, isn't he?"

Ben looked back at Ross and nodded emphatically, "Yeah!"

Both Rachel and Ben watched Ross for a minute, saw him change positions and begin to snore, and saw his head bounce off his shoulder several times before Rachel whispered to Ben with a mischievous grin on her face, "Should I wake him up?"

Ben brought his hands up to his face and started giggling as Rachel leaned over and whispered slowly and tantalizingly into his ear, "If you don't wake up right now, you won't get any for two weeks." And then, making sure that Ben couldn't see she punctuated her statement by biting and licking his earlobe, startling him awake, although she had noticed a small smile on his face a moment before. Sweetly, "Oh, I'm sorry honey. Did I wake you?"

One more grin and a wink and the three of them played games and colored for the rest of the flight, counting down the hours until they landed in New York. Home sweet home.

**XoX**

Their two weeks in California flew by after that first night. They'd hit Rodeo Drive (mostly by Rachel's insistence) and gone to the beach several times. They'd gone for long drives up the Pacific Coast highways and spent random nights at little country inns they found along the way. Up the highway and back, they'd made memories that would never, ever fade.

Rachel and Ben spent a lot of time together – bonding and getting to know each other - which, honestly, was thoroughly enjoyed by not just Ben, but Rachel as well. And when the time came to leave, no one wanted to say goodbye. So, after much persuasion from Ross and Rachel (and a little from Ben, too), Carol and Susan agreed to sending Ben to New York for a few weeks before the school year started.

Thus now, here they were - on a six hour flight to New York with Ben, who was terrified, but at the same time loving every minute of it. Anytime he got to spend with his daddy and Aunt Rachel, he was the happiest little boy in the world.

**XoX**

Since Ross and Rachel both had jobs to go back to, they'd made special arrangements for each of them to work every other day and spend their days off with Ben. Rachel was honored with the very first full day with Ben and on that first morning, over orange juice and a heaping bowl of Captain Crunch (his favorite cereal); he decided that he wanted to spend the entire day in Central Park. They got dressed and gathered up food for the day and a blanket to lie on once they got there.

_Well, it's ok.  
It's so nice.  
It's just another day in paradise.  
Well, there's no place that,  
I'd rather be.  
Well, it's two hearts,  
One dream,  
I wouldn't trade it for anything.  
And I ask the Lord, every night,  
Ooh, for just another day in paradise._

On the subway, Ben was so frightened about being in a small area underground with a whole busload of people he didn't know that he held Rachel's hand so tight that she couldn't immobilize it for ten minutes once they got off. They went into the park off of 5th Avenue and made their way over to the _Sheep's Meadow_, and broad expanse of grass just outside _Tavern on the Green _to settle down. When they got there, they watched people throwing Frisbees to their friends and their dogs, and eventually resorted to watching clouds roll by in the sky above their heads, commenting on different shapes that they'd see. They had been at the park for two hours when Ben suddenly turned to face Rachel and shyly asked, "Aunt Rachel, do you like my daddy?"

Rachel looked at Ben, part of her shocked at the sudden interest, part of her expecting that question since their first days together and sighed. She looked up at the sky, as if somehow hoping that a dragon-shaped cloud could tell her how to explain the situation to a five-year-old boy. In the end, she just decided that he was no different from anyone else who would ask her that question, and that in today's world, he probably already knew all the details of sex, so why treat him like a juvenile in a matter such as this? "Well Ben, I do like your daddy. I like your daddy very much."

"Do you love him?"

"Yeah, I do." She sat up and looked down at Ben as he followed her example. "And do you know who else I love?" Ben smiled and shook his head. "You," Rachel tapped the tip of his nose and started tickling him, sending him into fits of laughter as they rolled off the cotton blanket and onto the crab grass that it covered. Out of breath, they stopped with him sitting comfortably on her stomach, elbow propped up, head in his open hand, a smile spread across both his face and hers.

_Well, it's ok.  
It's so nice.  
It's just another day in paradise.  
Well, there's no place that,  
I'd rather be.  
Well, it's two hearts,  
One dream,  
I wouldn't trade it for anything.  
And I ask the Lord, every night,  
Ooh, for just another day in paradise._

They simply stared at each other, catching their breaths with Ben asked teasingly, "Why do you love me?"

Rachel only thought about her answer for a second, but wore a look of mock concentration on her face for much longer before she finally responded, "Well … because you're so cute!"

He giggled and said mockingly, "No! You're so cute!"

They kept up the argument over who was cuter for a good five minutes before Rachel said, "Hey! Y'know what would be really fun?"

Ben smiled, "What?"

"A horse-and-buggy ride around the city!"

Ben's face lit up and he started jumping up and down, screaming the question "On a real horse?"

Rachel laughed and said, "Yes on a real horse, now help me clean up our stuff so we can go!"

They cleaned up and in five minutes were on their way around the city going down 5th Avenue first past the Plaza Hotel, then down past Louis Vuitton and Saks Fifth Avenue, seeing Cole Haan and Kenneth Cole on the other side of the street. As Rachel was pretty much just people-watching, Ben was at the edge of the carriage, staring wide-eyed and open-mouthed at the buildings – both the magnitude and multitude – that were around him, every once in a while looking back at Rachel with sheer amazement lighting up every surface of his eyes.

_Well, it's ok.  
It's so nice.  
It's just another day in paradise.  
Well, there's no place that,  
I'd rather be.  
Well, it's two hearts,  
One dream,  
I wouldn't trade it for anything.  
And I ask the Lord, every night,  
Ooh, for just another day in paradise._

After and ice-cream break at Ferraro's in Little Italy and a subway ride back into the village, they arrived home to an empty apartment with the Discovery Channel entertaining unfilled furniture that cluttered the vacant living room – evidence of Ross's now habitual at-home lunch breaks. As Rachel dropped their picnic basket and her purse by the front door, Ben walked into the living room and plopped down into the overstuffed dark brown leather couch, channel-surfing, trying to find a worthy cartoon to settle on. Ten minutes later, he and Rachel were on the couch enjoying together the television version of _Finding Nemo_, a favorite movie for them both. She was leaning back into the corner of the couch with Ben's back to her front, his head rested lazily against her chest. Every now and then, she would divert her attention to the mildly amusing cartoon just to listen to him laugh, or just to watch the deep look of concentration on this face that never once faded for even a second. It was as if he was alone in this room, in this world. He and the television were the only things in existence, and there wasn't a care in the world.

The minutes rolled by and she watched his face turn from piqued interest to pure exhaustion, and slowly his eyelids became heavy and his breathing became deeper, steadier. She watched his eyelids flutter as he dreamed, watched his toes twitch as his imagination ran wild. Soon enough, her own eyelids became too heavy for her to bear and she allowed them to close. As she fell into her peaceful slumber, a single solitary thought crossed her mind like a shooting star in the night-blackened sky. How was it possible to love something so small, so much?

_Well, it's ok.  
It's so nice.  
It's just another day in paradise.  
Well, there's no place that,  
I'd rather be.  
Well, it's two hearts,  
One dream,  
I wouldn't trade it for anything.  
And I ask the Lord, every night,  
Ooh, for just another day in paradise._

**XoX**

At dusk in New York City, there is a special glow, a different, somewhat welcoming feeling: a general happiness that the atmosphere seems to lack during the day. It was this same _general happiness_ that exuded from Ross now, making him a changed man not only to himself but to those around him. The reasons for this change – the reasons for his _rebirth_, so to speak, were the same reasons that his heart melted right down to his toes when he walked into the apartment later the same night.

The cartoons had by now disappeared, replaced by the ever-popular _All in the Family_ and the infamous Archie and Edith Bunker. As the beginning credits began to play and Edith's shrill voice echoed through the apartment, Ross set down his briefcase and carefully made his way across the room, first stopping to turn off the foul-sounding vocals, and then to kneel to his knees on the floor before his sleeping beauties: the two people that he loved most in the world.

_I'm gonna be here for you baby  
I'll be a man of my word  
Speak the language in a voice that you have never heard  
I wanna sleep with you forever   
And I wanna die in your arms  
In a cabin by a meadow where the wild bees swarm_

They were rested now just as they had been when they'd fallen asleep: Ben's head settled comfortably on Rachel's chest and her hand rested atop his on his stomach. Their breathing synchronized as Ben rose every time Rachel exhaled.

Ross smiled as he brushed a few strands of hair out of Rachel's face and kissed Ben's forehead. Being a light sleeper, even this soft and subtle contact woke Ben, causing him to stir and struggle to open his eyes. "Daddy," he finally managed to ask.

"Yeah, Ben, I'm home. But sh… I don't want to wake Aunt Rachel." Ben nodded and carefully removed his hand from under Rachel's, allowing Ross to pick him up and take him quietly into the bathroom there they quickly brushed his teeth before bringing him into his room to go to bed. "Get some sleep okay? You have to get ready for our big day together tomorrow." Ross kissed Ben's forehead as he rolled over, whispering "Good night daddy," before the sound of his rhythmic breathing filled the silence of the tiny New York bedroom.

_And I'm gonna love you like nobody loves you  
And I'll earn your trust making memories of us_

Once back outside in the living room, Ross noticed that Rachel had changed positions, now teetering dangerously close to the end of the couch. Carefully he slid her away from the edge and covered her with the blanket that hung over the back of the couch, tucking it safely around her before kissing her forehead and standing up, heading towards his own bathroom to get himself ready for bed. He had just rounded the couch when he heard Rachel whisper drowsily, "Don't go."

He turned around and saw he stretch, eyes now open, beginning to turn her body towards him. Ross walked back over to her and murmured, "I'm right here, baby." They were eye level now that he'd kneeled down on the floor before her and for a few seconds, they just stared into each other's eyes, in a way making up for all of the lost time, since they hadn't seen each other since earlier that morning when he'd left for work. Still whispering so as not to disturb the peaceful silence that had draped itself over the apartment, he asked, "How was your day?"

"Amazing," she smiled, knowing she'd never find a better way of describing it, "Yours?"

"Dreadfully boring, long, and significantly incomplete because I didn't see you near as much as I wanted to." Ross kissed her nose and placed his hand over hers when she touched his cheek.

_We'll follow the rainbow  
Wherever the four winds blow  
And there'll be a new day  
Comin' your way_

"You're too sweet."

"You're too beautiful," he countered, smiling at how even now, after they'd been dating for so long, she still blushed every time he said she was beautiful.

With her thumb, she traced his lips and studied each detail of his face as she asked, "Ready for your big day with Ben tomorrow?"

"Yeah, I'm so excited!" She smiled. "What did you guys do today?"

"We went to Central Park and hung out there for a couple of hours, and then we went on a horse-and-buggy ride around that part of the city – just to sort of show him around a little bit. Then we went to Ferraro's for ice-cream before we came back here and fell asleep. We had a lot of fun."

"Good, I'm glad." Pause. "Hey, what time do you get off work tomorrow?"

"Umm.. I think around five. Why? What are your plans?"

"Well, I don't exactly have any yet, but I was kinda thinking that you could meet us somewhere nice for dinner at around six. What do you think?

"Sounds great," they smiled and gazed, once again, into each other's eyes before Rachel started to get up. "Listen, I'd love to chat, but _some_ of us have to get up early and go to work tomorrow." She looked at him and smiled, reaching out for his hand, looking confused when he shook his head. All became clear, however, when he stood up and bent down, wrapping one arm around her back and the other behind her knees, picking her up softly from the couch and bringing her back into the bedroom, her head resting comfortably on his shoulder.

Life couldn't get much better than this, she thought. Little did she know, the wheels were turning in his head, too, and he had much more in store for them the next day than he let on.

_I'm gonna be here for you from now on  
This you know somehow  
You've been stretched to the limits but it's alright now  
And I'm gonna make you this promise  
If there's life after this  
I'm gonna be there to meet you with a warm, wet kiss_

**XoX**

_7:30 AM the next morning_

Rachel was sitting at the kitchen table nursing a huge mug of coffee, hoping that the keg of caffeine would aid her in regaining her consciousness. Ross was in the shower, and Ben, the lucky kid, was still out cold in his bedroom. Rachel was already dressed, wishing that maybe if she went into work early, they would let her go home early, giving her more time with two of the three men whom she loved with every beat of her heart – the third, of course, being her father.

She rinsed out her coffee mug and was checking her makeup in the mirror next to the kitchen door and was getting ready to scribble a not to Ross and Ben when Ben himself appeared behind her, clearly still fighting off sleep as he rubbed his eyes awake. She kneeled down to be eye level with him and smoothed his sleep-disheveled hair. "Good morning, Benny."

"Good morning Aunt Rachel."

"What are you doing awake so early, mister?" She asked, playfully tickling his stomach a little bit.

"I wanted to say goodbye before you went to work."

Boy, could that kid tug the heartstrings… "Aw.. well, that was sweet of you!" Pause. "Do you want me to set you up with some breakfast and cartoons?" Ben nodded and yawned. "Okay, you go turn on the TV and find what you want to watch and I'll go get some cereal for you." And with that, she headed into the kitchen, not really concerned anymore with getting into work early. No, she'd much rather spend her time with the people and things that she _really_ cared about. Sure, she loved her job and she loved fashion, but the love that she had for those things paled in comparison to the love that she had for her family and friends. She brought a bowl of Captain Crunch out for Ben as Ross walked out of the bathroom with his hair still sopping wet and a towel wrapped snugly but dangerously around his waist. This, she decided, was her cue to leave.

"Hey," he said, smiling.

"Hey… I'm gonna head into work now. I'll call you later. I love you!"

_And I'm gonna love you like nobody loves you  
And I'll earn your trust making memories of us  
I'm gonna love you like nobody loves you  
And I'll win your trust making memories of us_

"I love you too." He walked over to her and planted a soft, yet lingering kiss on her lips. She tore away much sooner than she would've ordinarily liked to, but she was on her way to work and there was a child in the room. Ross saw the turmoil in her eyes and grinned naughtily, loosening the towel around his waist, heightening her senses so much it was unbearable. She kissed the top of Ben's head and said "Goodbye," to both of them before practically running out of the apartment leaving Ross chuckling back into the bedroom, and Ben completely oblivious to it all.

**XoX**

"Come here, Ben. Do you think she'd like this one?" Ross asked, holding out the object in his hand so that it was easier to see.

"Yeah, that one's almost as pretty as her." Ben alleged enthusiastically.

They'd been at this store for almost two hours and it seemed like every two minutes Ross was asking Ben's opinion on something different. He'd narrowed his choices down to ten from about thirty and the salesman was hovering over him, waiting to make the sale that could send him and his wife to Hawaii for their anniversary.

"Tell me about this one." Ross said, turning the item around in his delicate hands while Ben looked on in awe.

_And I'm gonna love you like nobody loves you  
And I'll earn your trust making memories of us  
I'm gonna love you like nobody loves you  
And I'll win your trust making memories of us_

"That, sir, is an emerald cut white diamond, set into a white gold band." The salesman said, "There isn't another one like it out there," he added for good measure.

Ross stared at it for another minute or two before finally deciding, "I'll take it!" Ross looked down and smiled at Ben as he got his wallet out for his credit card.

"Can I give it to her, daddy?"

Ross was getting ready to say no when he stopped to consider his son's request. It was definitely original, he thought. Plus, Rachel would love it so much.

"Actually Ben, that's a great idea! Now, I just need to make some phone calls at home, and then we're going out again."

**XoX**

Two hours, six phonecalls and one crossing of the Long Island Expressway later, and Ross was in the Green living room sipping tea. Rachel's mother and father were sitting opposite him.

_I wanna honor your mother  
I wanna learn from your pa  
I wanna steal your attention like a bad outlaw  
I wanna stand out in a crowd for you   
A man among men  
I wanna make your world better than it's ever been_

He looked up at them, smiled, and said simply, "Dr. and Mrs. Green, I need to ask you a question."

**XoX**

_**A/N: **Ahh, so three months later and here's chapter eight. I hope it fulfills all of the expectations that I'm sure you guys have built up. I see maybe 3 chapters for this in the future, give or take. You never know. Anyway, songs used in this chapter: "Just Another Day in Paradise" Phil Vassar, and "Making Memories of Us" Keith Urban. PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE leave me a review – I really want to know what you think about this so that I can make the next chapter better if I need to. I hope you enjoyed this.. Now, review!_


	9. Will you?

**Love is…**

**Disclaimer: **These things aren't required are they?

_**A/N: **Drum roll please… Yeah, so here is Love is… Chapter 9! Hope I fulfilled expectations, made it "worth the wait" if not, please advise me as to where I went wrong – I welcome criticism. Please leave me a review when you're done reading, they really do mean the world to me._

Rachel tightened her grip on the pole as the subway train slowed to a stop. Stepping onto the platform, she pulled her purse closer to her body, squeezing between massive crowds of people during the customary New York "after rush hour" rush hour. Narrowly missing an opened, slightly melted Snickers bar with the heel of her strappy stilettos, she fought her way up the stairs leading to the New York street corner of Broadway and 34th Street. Memories from several months ago flooded her brain as she elbowed past suit-clad executives and sweaty street vendors alike, momentarily taking her our of the cramped stairwell and placing her atop this very street, 8 and a half months ago where she enjoyed one of many firsts (and most likely, lasts) with the man she was currently on her way to meet.

_Still feels like   
Our first night together  
Feels like the first kiss  
It's getting better baby  
No-one can better this  
Still holding on   
You're still the one  
First time our eyes met  
Same feeling I get  
Only feels much stronger  
I wanna love you longer  
You still turn the fire on_

At times, she could still smell the air from that night. She could still feel every sensation that had shaken her right to the bone. She could still fell the chill in the air, his hands pressed firmly on her lower back, and the smoothness of his lips and they massaged her own. She could remember every detail of the kiss that felt like it came right out of a fairytale. Most vividly, she could still remember the look in his eyes when they first broke. It was then that she first realized just how far they had fallen. A couple of hours into their relationship, and she could already feel eternal sparks floating between them. It was then that she realized just how special this man was, and although she knew how serious it was going to be, she had no idea that he was going to be the last man she would ever love – the last man she would ever need to love.

Ross.

Even the mere mention of his name gave her goose bumps. Around him, she felt like the nervous teenager that he had once been around her. He literally transformed her into the geeky 15 and 16 year olds that she had once made fun of so many moons ago. The intensity of his gaze melted her heart, making her nothing more than pretty putty in his perfect hands. She smiled, playing his message from earlier back in her head, mouthing the words, "Meet me at Broadway and 34th at 7. Wear something nice. I love you."

There was something in the nature of this message that made her squirm – not in the bad way – but in an exhilarated, excited way. It gave her feelings that he and he alone could induce. His ability to be so simple and sexy one minute, and totally thoughtful and drawn out the next was something that baffled her even to this day. He always managed to say and do everything right.

As she continued to climb the steps the street above, the stale odor of vomit and cigarettes was replaced by the stale odor of…more cigarettes, last weeks garbage left to rot by on-strike maintenance men, and…fresh flowers?

_Still feels like our best times are together  
Feels like the first touch  
Still getting closer baby  
Can't get close enough  
Still holding on   
Still number one  
I remember the smell of your skin  
I remember everything  
I remember all your moods  
I remember you, yeah !  
I remember the nights you know I still do_

Her eyebrows scrunched together in that adorable way that Ross loved as she tried to remember a flower stand being stationed on this particular corner before – any sort of reason as to why a street that smelled horrid ninety-five percent of the time smelled like the perfect combination of white lilies and red roses – a smell she now remembered from a bouquet of flowers she'd received from Ross on her birthday a couple of months ago. As her eyes leveled out with the sidewalk, she was faced with probably the most beautiful sight she'd seen in a long time. Everywhere she looked there were strings of pearly white Christmas lights intertwined with the stems of long-stemmed roses, those of which were alternated with Rachel's all-time favorite flower, the white lily. She continued looking around, amazed at this sight, and gradually, familiar faces registered in her mind, four of her best friends, the Gellar's, her own parents, and finally, Ross, with Ben standing confidently at his side. Her eyes traveled from the lights around him, to meet his own chocolate pools, and she felt her heart drop down to her toes. It was in that instant, seeing Ross dressed in a black on black tuxedo and holding a single white rose in his hand that it dawned on her what all of this was for….

**XoX**

That entire day had been a whirlwind. From the moment he woke up that morning to the moment he saw the love of his life emerge from the subway, he had been nonstop. Dozens of phone calls, several trips across town and back again for various things of moderate to extreme importance, and a handful of potential nervous breakdowns. All of the mayhem that filled his day led up to this moment, right now. When looking into her eyes just made the world stand still. His heart was no longer beating somewhere in his throat, but rather in his chest where it belonged, and he couldn't hear the "oohs" and "aahs" of passersby wondering what all of the decorations were for. He could vaguely remember the fact that his son, four of his best friends, and both his and Rachel's parents were all huddled in a semi-circle behind him. The second her eyes met his, they were alone on this street corner, alone in the world.

He blinked and all of a sudden, she was coming towards him, a shocked but happy expression painted on her stunningly gorgeous face.

And then she smiled.

_When I see you smile  
I can face the world  
Oh, you know I can do anything  
When I see you smile  
I see a ray of light  
Oh I see it shining right through the rain  
When I see you smile  
Baby when I see you smile at me_

One simple smile and he was back. It was go time. He smiled in return and began to walk towards her now, meeting her in the middle of a circle created partially by familiar faces, but mostly by nosy (and touched) pedestrians.

_Baby there's nothing in this world that could ever do  
What the touch of your hand can do  
It's like nothing I ever knew  
And when the rain is fallin'  
I don't feel it 'coz you're here with me  
And one look at you baby  
Is all I ever need  
It's all that I ever need_

He wrapped his arms around her waist and gave her a soft, sweet kiss on the lips before moving his head to whisper, barely audibly in her ear, "You're beautiful."

She chuckled nervously, two tears sliding down her cheeks as she looked around once more, so inexplicably happy to see her mother and father, just a stone's throw a way to another best friend, second to the one standing before her now.

"Oh my God…" she whispered. She looked back at Ross. "Is this all what I think it is?"

"Well, I wanted it to be special…"

"Ross…" In that patented adorable, so undeniably 'Rachel' whine, practically pleading with him to stop.

"Sh…I want to say a few things." Ross smiled, "Then you can yell at me all you want." He offered her a knowing smirk and she laughed, dabbing at the tears from her eyes which were falling faster than she could stop them.

Ross took a deep breath and pushed a strand of hair back behind her ear. He traced her lips with his thumb, grazed her cheek with the back of his hand and finally met her eyes again. "You know I love you right?" She nodded. "Good." He looked around at all of the strangers now surrounding them and said, "I'm sorry to put you through this in front of all these people, but God…" he looked down, "I don't think I can take another second not knowing for sure, with all of my heart and yours, that you're gonna be at my side no matter what. I want you to be there for everything I do, and I want to see all of your accomplishments, too. I want to look at you every morning and know that you're mine. You're not just a dream. You're my Rachel."

Rachel smiled, and sniffled, squeezing his hand that was held tightly in hers.

"Now, I watch you sleep and think to myself, _she's _almost_ perfect._ But there's always one thing missing… and it belongs on this finger." He lifted up her hand and rubbed her finger, beginning to feel a little stinging in his eyes as the tears threatened to fall from his eyes as well. He took a deep breath and continued, with more difficulty than he anticipated, "Rachel I wouldn't be the man I am today, standing in front of you, in front of all of these people and saying these things if it wasn't for you and what you do to me. You make me feel _so_ alive. You're like a gift from God – you are that gift from God and now that I've had you, I don't think I could ever live a happy life unless you were a part of it. If I ever lost you, I don't think I could ever get the feeling back of loving and being loved. And I love being loved by you." He wiped another tear from her cheeks and whispered, "And I think Ben has something he wants to add to that."

Rachel turned to see Ben walking towards her looking very happy, but nervous at the same time. "Rachel, I had never seen my dad so happy until he met you. I'm only five and I can tell that he loves you very, very much. And I do too." With that, he took a small red velvet box from his jacket pocket unveiling the ring they'd picked out only hours previous, and he and Ross both kneeled down before her. Ben smiled, knowing that his job was complete and feeling unbelievably proud of himself while Ross smiled up at Rachel, "Marry me?"

From the crowd, soft "awws" could be heard, as well as some sniffling, while Rachel nodded her head and said, "Of course" through an onslaught of fresh tears. Ross jumped up and twirled her around while the crowd applauded and their family and friends surrounded them.

Rachel, still in Ross's arms, looked down at him and whispered, "I love you," before kissing him deeply on the mouth provoking a very disgusted "Eww..." from Ben who was still positioned at Ross's side.

The next few minutes were spent laughing, crying, and enduring dozens of wishes of Congratulations. So much was going on that Ross barely got Rachel to himself long enough to pose a very appealing question by speaking seductively into her ear, "Want to get out of here?"

Rachel turned her head and looked into his eyes, an ecstatic smile still plastered on her face that already radiated such immense happiness. Just as seductively, she sidled up to him, blew into his ear and breathily murmured, "Now, what do you think?" She winked at him, grabbed his hand, and turned to face their friends and family once again. She cleared her throat and spoke loudly at first to be heard above all of the chatter. "Excuse me… I just want to thank all of you for coming here tonight and sharing this special time with us." She paused while people muttered "wouldn't have missed its" and more congratulations, sneaking a glance at Ross who was hovering behind her with a goofy smile on his face. "But… I do believe that the groom and I have some celebrating to do ourselves…" She winked as everyone laughed, with the exception of Ben who didn't understand, and Monica who would much rather not have an image in her head of Ross and Rachel engaged in their sexcapades.

Before setting on their way, Ross and Rachel explained to Ben that he would be staying with his Aunt Monica for the night and that they would see him in the morning. And then, their closest companions watched them cross the deserted street holding hands and smiling on their way to the hotel where Ross booked them the honeymoon suite for the night.

**XoX**

They arrived at the hotel and checked in, heading to the elevator where they hoped they could get in a little of the intimacy that they had missed out on during the not-so-private proposal. They were disappointed; however, to discover that they would have to share the elevator with some rather ripe smelling teenagers heading back after a jaunt in the city.

Ross and Rachel managed, barely, to contain themselves long enough to open the door of the suite before Rachel launched herself into Ross' arms, propelling them both right into the wall by the front door. Immediately, Rachel's hands were ravaging through hair and her legs were wrapped around his waist. She was being supported, quite comfortably, but his hands on the backs of her thighs, where his periodic squeezes left her with tingly sensations all throughout her body.

_Must be doing something right,_

_I just heard you sigh_

_Lean into my kiss and close_

_Those deep blue need you eyes_

_Don't know what I did, to earn a love this _

_But baby I must be doing something right._

Ross moved them into the bedroom and eased her down on the pink heart shaped bed, taking this chance that they weren't attached at the limps to slow things down. He wanted to remember every detail of her face on their engagement night, and he wanted to look back at this experience and see more than just a great blur interrupted every few minutes by great sex.

A second later, he felt her hand graze his stomach on the way to his arms. He looked down into her eyes and whispered, "I didn't think it was possible for a woman to look as beautiful as you do tonight." He took a deep breath and, for the second time tonight, tried to fight back tears. "Thank you."

For a change, it was Rachel wiping the tears without actually crying them, chuckling at the ironic role-reversal, she asked, "For what?"

"For loving me."

Rachel leaned up and placed her hands on his cheeks, kissing his forehead and meeting his eyes once again. "Well, I couldn't help it. You made it impossible for me not to." She smiled and leaned in, slowly but powerfully kissing him as he guided them down to lie flat on the mattress. As he begin kissing her neck and unzipping the dress that concealed her perfectly toned, tanned, smooth skin, she ran her fingers through his hair and whispered, "I can't wait to spend the rest of my life with you."

_Must be doing something right,_

_I just heard you sigh_

_Lean into my kiss and close_

_Those deep blue need you eyes_

_Don't know what I did, to earn a love this _

_But baby I must be doing something right._

Where his mouth was positioned against her skin right above her collarbone, she could feel him smile. Stroking his hair and softly kissing his temple, they moved on, continuing what would turn out to be one of most intensely romantic nights they'd ever have.

_I hope I'm on the right road_

_Judging by the smile on your face_

_I must be doing something right_

_I just heard you sigh_

_Lean into my kiss and close_

_Those deep blue need you eyes_

_Don't know what I did, to earn a love like this_

_But baby I must be doing something right._

**XoX**

Surprisingly, Rachel was awake before Ross the next morning. She took a couple of seconds to regroup before allowing herself to remember the previous night: the proposal, and hours upon hours of the most passionately tender lovemaking she would ever encounter. She let out a content sigh and felt Ross stir behind her. She rolled over on top of him and smiled, watching him pretend to sleep despite the fact that a whole person had just rolled over his chest. She kissed his nose and eyelids before whispering, "G'morning, baby."

He stroked her arms and kissed her sweetly on the lips, smiling as he said, "Y'know, I don't think I'll ever get used to the way my heart leaps when the first thing I see in the morning is you smiling back at me."

"I love you." Rachel said, kissing his nose one more time before resting her chest on his head.

Ross smiled and kissed her head. She looked up and kissed him quite deeply for a few fleeting seconds, but when he moved to make it more, she pulled away and smiled her trademark, teasing smile.

"C'mon, we have a wedding to plan!"

**_A/N: Aahhh… Chapter 9 – FINALLY! Gosh that was so hard… Anyway, there are some parts that I'm a little uneasy about and I'm really curious to see what everyone thinks. I know that I need to get out of this long hiatus before each chapter, and I'm trying – so maybe the next one will come up quicker… Anyway, songs used in this chapter include… "When I See You Smile" by Richard Marx, "Must be Doing Something Right" by Billy Currington, and "Please Forgive me" by Bryan Adams. Please leave a review: What did you think? Don't be a stranger…_**


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